Tensions escalate amid ongoing demands to sever sister city agreement

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters have been ejected from Gold Coast council chambers for a second time amid ongoing demands to sever sister city ties. Read the full report

Pro-Palestinian protesters have been ejected from Gold Coast council for a second time after holding up placards inside the chambers.

It comes as a petition demanding Gold Coast City Council sever sister city ties with Netanya, Israel was tabled at Tuesday’s full meeting and referred to the governance committee.

A report is expected to be drafted in the coming months and will assess the shared benefits of the agreement and whether there are grounds to sever ties.

Pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Gold Coast City Council Chambers. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

Upwards of 20 people, some wearing Palestinian keffiyehs and holding banners gathered outside council chambers before making their way into the gallery.

However midway through proceedings, Mayor Tom Tate requested the gallery be cleared after protesters tapped the glass and held signs counting the “number of children killed during this meeting”.

Tensions escalated, with the crowd chanting “cut the ties, cut the ties” while being ushered out. One protester was seen walking up to officers and yelling “what the f*** is wrong with you”.

It is understood the verbal tirade was triggered after an officer was seen “laughing”, a protest spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman, who chose to remain unnamed, said “we want councillors to move (on this petition) completely informed”.

“Particularly with the ICJ ruling, we don’t want to be sister cities with (a state) that’s essentially coming out saying that they’re not abiding by international law.”

In May, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to halt its military offensive on Gaza’s southern city Rafah. The International Criminal Court has also requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders, Yahya Sinwar, Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri citing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

One protester wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh clashed with police outside Council chambers. Picture: Amaani Siddeek

Mr Tate said while council meetings were open to the public, disruptive behaviour was “unwelcomed”.

“You’re not allowed to disturb the chamber,” Mr Tate said. “The noise is distracting to councillors and it’s not good behaviour.”

Mr Tate said the group were “welcome to come back with good behaviour”.

“The conflict between Palestine and Israel has been going on for decades. My sympathies go out to anyone whose family has been hurt or killed in the war.

“But we’re a city council and we’ve got a full agenda to do our best on behalf of the people of the Gold Coast. That’s my primary focus.”