A mass protest against Israel’s military action in the Middle East will go ahead in Sydney on Sunday despite widespread condemnation, after organisers struck a deal with police who warned that an earlier plan to march near Sydney’s Great Synagogue could cause an outbreak of sectarian violence.

NSW Police on Thursday dropped their opposition to the demonstration, one of two planned events in Sydney to mark one year since the deadly October 7 attacks in Israel by terrorist group Hamas, after initially launching court action that would have denied organisers a permit to occupy city streets.