Palestinian Action Group urged to change vigil date from October 7

The Palestine Action Group has been urged to change the date of a planned vigil from October 7, with the proposed date for the mourning of “12 months of genocide and terrorism” labelled “insensitive”.

NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman urged organisers to change the date from October 7. Picture: NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

The state opposition has criticised a planned candlelight vigil for Palestine and Lebanon on October 7 as “incredibly insensitive” and urged organisers to choose another date.

The vigil, organised by the Palestine Action Group Sydney, is intended to mourn “12 months of genocide and terrorism.”

The date marks one year since Hamas’ forces stormed through Israel’s defences leading killing more than 1000 people.

It has sparked ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman called for the protest to be rescheduled, telling 2GB’s Ben Fordham: “It’s incredibly insensitive, I think, to do it on that day... I urge the organisers to think of the 364 other days they can do this.”

Palestine Action Group supporters march at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

While acknowledging that banning the event in a liberal democracy may not be feasible, Speakman emphasised that if it involved advocating terrorism or displaying flags linked to terrorism, it should not be allowed.

He also revealed that he has written to the Premier, pushing for an outright ban on the display of terrorist symbols, similar to the prohibition of Nazi symbols.

“A lot of us would say it’s self-evident—if you display a terrorist symbol, you are inciting hatred or intimidating people. Let’s remove that legal ambiguity and make it a clear offence,” Speakman said.