Six protesters arrested as pro-Palestine, pro-Israel groups protest in Melbourne

A significant police presence was used to separate pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian protesters in heated scenes across Melbourne’s CBD, with police rushing through the crowd to help an elderly woman carrying an Israeli flag.

Pro-Palestinian and Israeli protesters had to be separated by a significant police presence as tempers flared in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday.

Police blocked Spring St between state parliament and the Princess Theatre, preventing pro-Palestinian protesters from interrupting a pro-Israel rally organised by Christian group “Never Again is Now”.

There was a large police presence at the rallies on Sunday. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Pro-Palestine protesters outside the Victorian Parliament. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Police hold back protesters face as pro-Palestine and pro-Israel groups clash. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Tempers flared during the rally and counter-rally. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

It was estimated about 7000 people attended the rallies.

Even with the blockages, police were forced to intervene several times as members of the opposing groups clashed.

Six people were arrested and released pending summons.

Of those, one person was arrested for bill posting, three for hinder police, one for hinder and state false name, and one for assault police and possess a drug of dependence.

Victoria Police said in a statement on Sunday night the police response “was largely successful in keeping these two opposing groups separate”.

“Victoria Police respects the right for people to protest lawfully however we ask that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community,” the statement said.

Pro-Palestinian protesters stood at the top of Little Bourke St, chanting “free Palestine” and “all Zionists are terrorists”, hurling abuse as pro-Israeli protesters walked through the police blockade into the rally.

Police were forced to rush through the crowd to help an elderly woman in a wheelchair holding an Israeli flag after she was surrounded by pro-Palestinian protesters.

Meanwhile, a video showed a group of protesters wrestling an Israeli flag from a man and shouting at him as he headed towards the rally, before a swarm of police intervene to separate them.

The pro-Israeli protest was organised by “Never again is now”, which claim to be a “Christian grassroots movement educating and mobilising Christian’s to actively stand against the most ancient of racial hatreds, anti-Semitism.”

Pro-Israeli protesters had abuse hurled at them. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Police subdue a protester outside parliament. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Victoria Police said the police response ‘was largely successful in keeping these two opposing groups separate’. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

The event’s guest speakers included senior pastor at Crossways Baptist Church Dale Stephenson who said it was “evil to hate upon other people because of their birth … it is the antithesis of the Christian faith to spread hate.”

Israeli rally attendees held green and gold umbrellas which read “stop the hate mate”, with several wearing Israeli flags.

Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters marched up Little Bourke St to join the crowd rallying against the “Never Again is Now” movement.

Prior to the event Free Palestine protest organisers warned supporters to “not engage” with the “Never again is now” rally.

It came a day after pro-Palestinian protesters stormed the Victorian Labor Party’s State Conference at the Moonee Valley racecourse.

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny accused demonstrators of “bullying and intimidation” on Saturday.

“I guess my message to everyone is we all have a right to protest but do it in a safe and respectable way,” she said.

“There’s no place for the kind of violence and intimidation that we saw on Saturday.

“It was bullying, it was intimidation and our priority, the government’s priority, is supporting communities who are feeling vulnerable at this time on all sides.”