SA Police on notice for pro-Palestinian protests during Gather Round

With Gather Round drawing thousands of visitors to the state and protests planned, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has promised an increased police presence at events.

South Australian police are on notice for planned protests in Adelaide as the AFL’s Gather Round delivers a mass influx of visitors to the city.

The state’s top cop said adequate police resources would be deployed across the state’s road networks in anticipation for increased traffic, while city and suburban venues hosting events would have a suitable number of patrols on hand.

Peak business groups say key indicators show this year’s Festival of Footy is expected to outshine the inaugural event, which injected more than $83m into the state economy and generated over 150,000 visitor nights.

Commissioner Grant Stevens told ABC Adelaide there would be the “right number of police” at Gather Round venues including the CBD, outer suburbs and across the state’s roads.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said police were anticipating protests on the Israel Palestinian conflict. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

“Our obligation is to make sure it’s a safe place for people to visit,” he said.

The Commissioner said a road safety operation would be deployed in anticipation of a “massive influx of people coming from interstate”, and planned protest events in the city.

Commissioner Stevens said police were anticipating protests on the Israel Palestinian conflict, and would monitor the situation.

A protest over the conflict is set for 2pm Sunday at Parliament House, in line with other protests in Melbourne and Sydney.

Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni, in a post shared by the Australian Friends of Palestine Association social media, urged people to join the event.

It comes as Commissioner Stevens backed Gather Round and its positive impact on Adelaide, and defended police resources for the major event.

“It is a fantastic event for the state,” he said.

He also urged anyone considering a pitch invasion at Adelaide Oval to ask themselves if it was worth a ban from the fields.

“It’s a fairly foolish thing to do,” he said.

Pitch invaders can be handed life bans from the Oval.