Twenty charges as pro-Palestine protesters clash with police at Port Botany

NSW Premier Chris Minns says the police acted “absolutely appropriately” at a pro-Palestine protest at Port Botany on Tuesday night where 23 people were arrested amid ugly scenes.

NSW Premier Chris Minns says the police acted “absolutely appropriately” at a pro-Palestine protest at Port Botany on Tuesday night where 23 people were arrested.

“You can’t have a situation where NSW ports are being blocked,” he told Sky News.

“This would have huge economic and reputational damage for our state and for our country and the police acted absolutely appropriately in the circumstances.”

“(Police) should be commended for their work in the last 24 hours.”

Close to 400 demonstrators assembled on Foreshore Rd chanting “free Palestine”, banging drums and waving Palestinian flags near the port’s loading dock just after 6pm.

The demonstrators aimed to disturb operations at the loading dock of a ship owned by Israeli company ZIM.

Group organisers said in a note prior to the event: “There’s no place for ZIM in Port Botany, come along tonight to put pressure on its port to suspend its contract.”

But the peaceful protest quickly turned ugly when scuffles erupted between the activists and police.

Close to 400 demonstrators assembled at Port Botany chanting ‘free Palestine’. Picture: Supplied

Police arrested 23 at Port Botany overnight. Picture Twitter

Police issued a move on direction to the group who were blocking all operations on Foreshore Rd.

The order was not complied with and the activists continued to halt traffic on the usually busy roadway.

That’s when local officers, Public Order and Riot Squad and the Mounted Unit moved in.

A small child in a pram was even captured being carried over the heads of protesters as police on horseback moved through the crowd.

Officers were also seen pulling activists to their feet and leading them away.

Police were seen pulling people from the ground and leading them away. Picture: Supplied

A child in a pram was “crowdsurfed' away from the mayhem. Picture: Supplied

Several activists can be heard yelling at the police and they converged through the crowd.

“We’re sitting here protesting and having police trample us with their horses,” one woman said.

“What a disgrace from the NSW Police,” another can be heard yelling.

“No justice, no peace, the racist police,” a woman said.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the activity at the rally “was utterly despicable.”

“We’ve got law enforcement officials around the country who put on a uniform every day to try to keep your family safe and my family safe and to subject them to any form of violence is just utterly inexcusable,” she told Channel Nine’s Today show on Wednesday morning.

“We’ve got a bunch of people in our country who are feeling incredibly deeply about what’s going on in the Middle East ... let’s respect each other, understand the strong views and feelings in the community, but just calm down a bit.”

A protester is led away by police last night. Picture Twitter

Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope commended the police response and called for others to do the same.

“I commend the police for actually taking the steps but we need to back them up, and we as a society need to back them up and that includes magistrates and judges,” Mr Tudehope said to 2GB’s Mark Levy on Wednesday morning.

“That’s why the police ministers should be out there this morning, actually commending the police and sending a clear message that this will not be tolerated in Sydney.”

Police at Port Botany on Wednesday. Photographer: Adam Yip

Shadow Minister for Immigration Dan Tehan also spoke against the demonstration.

“There’s no place for this in Australia and my hope is that the judicial system does act and act quickly and swiftly,” he told 2GB on Wednesday morning.

“We do not need this in our country, people can protest for peace but they should never ever protest for hate.”

A NSW Police spokesperson said 23 people were arrested and charged during the “unauthorised gathering.”

“A police operation has now concluded on Foreshore Road, Port Botany, following an unauthorised gathering,” she said.

“After a number of people continued to refuse police direction, 23 people were arrested before all people left the roadway about 9pm.

“All 23 people were taken to several police stations, where they were charged with the offences of fail to comply with move on direction and damage or disruption to a major facility.”

Co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin also spoke out against the protest, labelling them as “hateful.”

“These latest scenes of protesters abusing police and rallying against the presence of a ship in a harbour further prove the pro-Palestinian movement isn’t about peace or justice, it is about hatred and destruction,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“Whether they are organising boycotts of Jewish businesses, screaming at ships or manipulating school children to support them, these actions are a threat to public safety, and they incite violence and hatred.

“There is a coordinated effort to marginalise and endanger Jewish Australians and rip our society apart and it must be stopped.”

Originally published as Twenty charges as pro-Palestine protesters clash with police at Port Botany