NSW Premier Chris Minns backs police after anti-Israel protesters march on Sydney Opera House
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he would “not second guess” the police’s decision to allow pro-Palestinian protesters to rally outside the Sydney Opera House.
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NSW Premier Chris Minns has backed the decision of police to allow pro-Palestinian protesters to march to the Sydney Opera House as it was being illuminated with the Israeli flag on Monday night.
The tense protests, organised by the Palestine Action Group Sydney, resulted in the burning of the Israeli flag, anti-Semitic chanting by protesters, and flares being set off in the Opera House forecourt.
While Mr Minns was adamant the protest should not have gone ahead, he refused to say whether police should have stopped protesters and said he would “not second guess” their decision to allow protesters to march from Town Hall to the Sydney Opera House.
“They’ve got a an obligation to protect Sydney and they’ve made that call,” he said.
“But I’ve also said repeatedly now we can’t have an intolerable situation where the Jewish community are being told or feel like they can’t participate in their own city.”
He also said it was important for the state government to show its solidarity with the Jewish community, and landmarks globally had been lit up with the Israeli flag.
“I think the absence of the flag on that national monument would have been conspicuous in its absence and would have led quite naturally and fairly for the Jewish community in NSW to think that the government and the people of this state don’t stand in solidarity with them when we do,” Mr Minns said.
The Premier also added that while police made an “operational decision” to extend the protest boundaries, charges relating to racial vilification, incitement of hatred, and incitement of violence would be made if they deemed protesters reached the threshold for the criminal acts.
Protesters met at the Town Hall in Sydney’s CBD at 5.30pm and marched to the Sydney Opera House where the NSW government had planned to illuminate the landmark in blue and white – the colours of the Israeli flag.
Members of the crowd chanted “Palestine will never die”, “Israel, USA, how many kids have you killed today?” and “Shame, Shame Australia” and “Shame, Shame Albo” as they approached Circular Quay.
At the steps of the Opera House, candles were laid out to spell “Free Palestine”, while flares were let off.
Protesters also set fire to the Israeli flag, while police kept guard on the Opera House steps.
Mr Minns’ continued condemnation of the protests comes after Attorney-General Michael Daley called on both Jewish and pro-Palestinian protesters to “stay at home”.
Speaking on 2GB on Tuesday morning, Mr Daley admitted that he was “not really across” the events that happened at the protest because he was “working late”.
“I think everybody needs to calm down and, as you say, do stay at home,” he said.
“What everybody needs to do is to show restraint and respect and calm down and stop dividing into teams and competing with each other in various forums or on streets.”
However, Mr Minns said he unequivocally did not support the comments and said he would be “speaking to the Attorney-General today”.
“The position from the vast majority of Australians that live in NSW was and is that that was a horrific event, a horrific event, and we stand in solidarity with the Jewish community in NSW at this time,” he said.
Mr Daley’s comments also drew criticism from Opposition Leader Mark Speakman. He said the government had “failed in their duty” to protect Sydney’s Jewish communities and questioned why Police Minister Yasmin Catley was “once again missing in action”.
“The buck stops with the Premier. He must get his government in order and instruct his ministers to provide a full explanation as to how last night’s events were allowed to occur,” he said.
“Chris Minns as premier must take responsibility for the ineptitude of his ministers. He must immediately explain why his Attorney-General and Minister for Police did nothing or worse knew nothing and failed to ensure the safety of people across Sydney.
“For the Attorney-General to tell people to ‘stay home if the streets aren’t safe’ is an astonishing admission that the government has given up controlling law and order in Sydney.”
Police Minister told to apologise to Jewish community
During question time on Tuesday, Police Minister Yasmin Catley was bombarded with questions and asked why protesters were allowed to gather at the Sydney Opera House.
Liberal Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloan also called on Ms Catley to issue an apology to the Jewish community for not “failing to stop a march and not letting the community hold a vigil at the Opera House”.
Ms Catley said police successfully prevented “the risk of conflict and violence” on Monday night; however, she said authorities did not authorise protesters to march from the Sydney Opera House to the Town Hall.
“The police did not approve a march,” she told the parliament.
“Known as a form one generally takes about a week to complete (and there wasn’t one done) for this event.
“It was just a spontaneous gathering of a large number of people.”
She said she was in close contact with Acting NSW Police Commissioner Dave Hudson over Sunday and Monday and said police had become aware of the protests through intelligence and social media.
“They needed to manage a highly volatile crowd and again I said last night they did that successfully,” she said.
Australia’s former ambassador to Israel: ‘Incredibly insensitive’:
Australia’s former top diplomat in Israel has condemned anti-Semitic chants made by pro-Palestine protesters, saying they amount to “racial incitement”.
Dave Sharma, who served as Australia’s ambassador to Israel from 2013-2017, said the protest outside the Sydney Opera House “should not have been allowed to go ahead”.
The Opera House, like other Australian landmarks, had been illuminated with the Israeli flag on Monday night after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprising attack on Israel.
Israel has returned fire, and has announced a total blockade. Hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians have already been killed.
Mr Sharma said the protesters “should have found another location”.
“It was incredibly insensitive and I think that some of the chants that the crowd were changing amount to racial incitement. They were despicable,” he told ABC News.
“The material that I saw promoting the rally made clear that it was not about commemorating the Israeli and civilian victims of Hamas’ terror attacks over the weekend. In fact, it was about siding with Hamas and celebrating what Hamas has done.
“This would be like if we saw people come out celebrating al-Qaeda days after the September 11 attacks … This is just abhorrent.”
Foreign Affairs Minister condemned the rally, saying Australia was above anti-Semitism.
“There is no place in Australia for anti-Semitism or prejudice or hatred of any kind,” she told ABC Radio.
“And we should all stand very firmly against that sort of anti-Semitic language that unfortunately some engaged in.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong condemned the rally, saying Australia was above Semitism.
“There is no place in Australia for anti-Semitism or prejudice or hatred of any kind,” she told ABC Radio.
“And we should all stand very firmly against that sort of anti-Semitic language that unfortunately some engaged in.”
Originally published as NSW Premier Chris Minns backs police after anti-Israel protesters march on Sydney Opera House
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