Pro-Palestine supporters encircle pro-Israel group in Rundle Mall protest

Pro-Palestine demonstrators have been filmed shouting “shame on you” at a small Israel gathering in aggressive scenes in Rundle Mall. Watch the intimidating video.

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Pro-Palestine supporters have been filmed encircling a group of pro-Israel demonstrators in Rundle Mall in a tense display of protest over the weekend.

In footage taken on Sunday afternoon, hundreds of demonstrators can be seen chanting at a small group of Israel supporters who had laid out photos of 240 hostages believed held by terrorist organisation Hamas.

Footage shows police standing between the two groups as hostilities escalated, with pro-Palestine supporters standing on benches, waving Palestinian flags and pointing at pro-Israel demonstrators.

The group can be heard shouting “shame on you” and “free Palestine”, with tensions high before protesters continued their march through the Mall.

Pro-Palestine supporters at a protest in Rundle Mall.

The video comes after more than 2000 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Parliament House in the same demonstration, chanting “this is not a war, this is genocide” and highlighting the deaths of children following the siege of Gaza.

The crowd was told children accounted for 40 per cent of those killed so far.

Among the protesters was a preschool-aged child holding an object to wrapped in cloth to depict a deceased infant – an act police said was not an offence.

Children were also among the speakers at the rally.

A police spokesperson said “SAPOL shares the views as stated by the Victorian Police Deputy Commissioner”.

“Whilst some slogans in chants or on banners may be offensive to some community members, they may not actually constitute an offence,” they said.

“Members of the public have the right to lawfully rally or protest to raise awareness of issues, the role of police at such events is to uphold the law and preserve the peace.”

The police spokesperson said Hamas is a “listed terrorist organisation” and “acts considered to be showing support for a terrorist organisation may constitute an offence under Commonwealth legislation (Division 102 of the Criminal Code Act, 1995) or state-based legislation (Section 83CA of the Criminal Law Consolidation Act, 1935).”

One of the rally’s MCs, Ahmed Azhar criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for dining with the US President Joe Biden, referring to last month’s State Dinner at the White House, and not demanding the Israeli war against Hamas stop.

“Labor’s response to this war in a bloodstain they will never wash of their soul,” he said.

Speaking to the crowd, Greens MLC Rob Simms said the Australian government must “step up” and demand a cease fire and provide “immediate support”.

Mr Simms said his party condemned the violence against innocent people, saying it was not self defence but war crimes.

The protest comes amid escalating tensions over the conflict in the Middle East, with former Adelaide City Council deputy lord mayor Houssam Abiad calling for a council motion acknowledging the “innocent lives lost” on both sides of the conflict.

The Hamas-run health ministry said that almost 9500 people had died so far in Israel’s relentless barrage of air strikes on Gaza, including more than 4000 children.

More than 1400 people have died on the Israeli side – with most of those killed during the initial attack by Hamas.

Originally published as Pro-Palestine supporters encircle pro-Israel group in Rundle Mall protest