NSW Police urge Palestine protesters to relocate march from Opera House

NSW Police will lodge a challenge in the Supreme Court to stop a pro-Palestine march planned for the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House on October 12, insisting the force’s opposition was based on a potential “crowd crush” and was not related to past events.

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the Palestine Action Group was still considering suggestions from the police for different routes for the march, but it was his view that it would not be safe to have thousands of protesters descending on the Opera House forecourt.

“We understand that this is a significant anniversary for probably both sides [and] there’s heightened public emotions around this, we understand, and we’re not anti-protest,” he said.

“We facilitate thousands of protests, and in fact, with this particular group, we’ve been facilitating protests and public assemblies for the last two years.

“So it’s not a matter of us not wanting them to have a public assembly. It’s not even a matter about it being at the Opera House itself, it’s about public safety.”

Police on Friday met the group, which has submitted a formal notice to hold the march through the CBD to the Opera House next Sunday to “mark two years of genocide” of the Palestinian people following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

However, there is concern the planned protest could be a lightning rod for social unrest after pro-Palestine demonstrators descended on the Opera House on October 9, 2023, when the Minns government lit the iconic sails in the colours of Israel’s flag.

Flares were thrown, and an Israeli flag was set alight on the steps of the Opera House, prompting Premier Chris Minns to later say he regretted that protesters were not stopped from marching.

Asked whether police feared a repeat of those scenes, McKenna said: “What I would say is that my decision-making isn’t about what happened two years ago. It’s about public safety.

“Crowd crushes [are] a significant concern for us. You know, if you get the large numbers, there’s no other way of moving people to turn back on themselves [at the Opera House forecourt],” he said.

The pro-Palestine group’s Josh Lees has been contacted for comment.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley said on Friday that she does not want next Sunday’s protest to proceed, but ultimately the decision was the responsibility of NSW Police.

She said the Opera House Trust had a bylaw “that prevents protests of any nature on the forecourt” but a decision on the protest group’s Form 1 application would be made after police meetings.

“Police have to make a decision as to whether to challenge the Form 1 that is provided to them, but it’s very likely that by the end of the day police will make a decision,” Catley told 2GB.

“We have to remember they are the experts here, they will base everything on public safety and operational grounds. This is a matter for the police – they make decisions about protests, not politicians.”

Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said the protest “cannot be allowed”, warning that it would create more division on Sydney’s streets.

“Two years ago, whilst innocent Israelis were still being massacred, raped and taken hostage, protesters defiled our iconic Opera House with celebrations and antisemitic chants,” Ossip said.

“Now – at a time when Israel and the Arab and Islamic world have embraced a comprehensive peace plan to end the war – these protesters want to return to the Opera House to continue their demonisation of Israel and the Jewish community.

“This demonstration cannot be allowed to proceed.”

Organisers said protesters would meet at 1pm on October 12 at Hyde Park in the Sydney CBD before marching on the Opera House.

“This is genocide in real time, and Australia cannot continue to look away,” the group said on social media.

On Thursday, Minns said he did not want to be drawn into debate over the protest.

“I am not going to offer public commentary before they’ve [police and protest organisers] spoken, if for no other reason that I don’t want to draw attention to the organisers that seem to thrive on the notoriety of it all,” Minns said.

Co-chief executive officer of the Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin said the pro-Palestine protesters planning the Opera House march “have no interest in peace”.

“We’ve had a gutful of these people who have bled public coffers to the tune of tens of millions of dollars with their week-on-week protests,” Ryvchin said.

More to come

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