The streets of Sydney have turned into a sea of green, red, black and white as thousands take part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
Key points:
- Organisers say more than 9,000 people attended the rally
- The event saw protesters march from Sydney’s Town Hall to Belmore Park
- Police approved the rally on the Friday before the march was scheduled to be held
Attendees stretched from the steps of Town Hall along the tram tracks of George Street in the city’s centre, chanting “free free Palestine”, “Albanese you can’t hide you’re supporting genocide” and “shame shame Albanese”.
The march was given late approval on Friday as NSW Premier Chris Minns promised a “zero tolerance” approach to any violence or hate speech.
Last Sunday, police considered using extraordinary powers to identify and search attendees at a similar, but static, rally that was attended by thousands of people in Hyde Park.
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That gathering — which went ahead without police permission — followed a controversial protest in front of the Sydney Opera House on Monday, October 9, where racial epithets were allegedly yelled out in the crowd.
Today’s organisers reiterated that racist remarks and flares being set off would not be tolerated during the 1.5-kilometre walk, attended by what they say was more than 9,000 people.
The marchers for Gaza moved from Town Hall to Belmore Park through the CBD.
Abdullah Ali was there carrying his son on his shoulders and said the images coming from Gaza have been difficult to process.
“It’s difficult what has been broadcasted in the Western media is definitely not reflecting what is on the ground,” Mr Ali said.
“What I see is different … I see parts of children being put in plastic bags, it’s extremely hard for anyone to see.”
Twin Palestinian-Australian sisters Hannah and Lanni recently returned from visiting family in Nablus in the West Bank. They told the crowd how their time was marred by “fear, worry and sadness”.
They soon realised their short experience was what the Palestinian people had to endure for years, likening the situation to a “modern day concentration camp”.
“It was hard to believe that a place of hope, opportunity and freedom was now a place of constant oppression,” Lanni said.
(ABC)
