Massive crowds at pro-Palestine rallies across the country

Massive crowds have gathered in protests around the country to express their solidarity with Palestine as the violence in the Middle East continues to escalate.

Thousands of protesters have gathered in capital cities across the country on Saturday to rally in support of Palestine as violence continues to escalate in the Middle East.

Pro-Palestine rallies are being held in Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth on Saturday, while a vigil is being held in Hobart.

NSW Police estimated somewhere between 12,000-15,000 people marched through Sydney’s CBD on Saturday, in what the event organisers Palestine Action Group Sydney have hailed as a “massive turnout.”

The protest began at Town Hall before moving to Belmore Park. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Saturday’s march in Sydney comes after “two weeks of attempted state suppression” directed at Palestinian people, organisers said.

“The state knows that we will show up in our masses and no matter how much they try, they cannot suppress popular support for the Palestinian people,” they said in a statement.

“We call on our allies to stand with members of the Palestinian and Jewish communities and to stand in solidarity against the war and genocide on Gaza.”

Organisers also urged attendees not to interact with counter-protesters, who may try to “provoke” people at the rally.

Protesters in Sydney gathered at Sydney Town Hall at 1pm before the crowd marched to Belmore Park.

Up to 10,000 protesters attended Sydney’s rally on Saturday. Picture: Facebook

One attendee held a sign emblazoned with “stop the genocide”. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Organisers praised the respectful behaviour of protesters, after a “massive and peaceful demonstration of 10,000 people” was held in Hyde Park last weekend.

The rally in Brisbane, organised by Justice for Palestine Meanjin, took place at King George Square in the early afternoon.

About 500 people participated in what organisers have described as one of the “saddest, most important marches” to be held in the city.

A vigil was also held in Hobart on Saturday morning, taking place outside the Hobart Town Hall.

Rallies will be held in Melbourne and Adelaide on Sunday, while a protest in the national capital will take place on Wednesday at the National Press Club.

Thousands gathered for Jummah Prayers on Friday at Parry Park in Lakemba. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

It was a peaceful gathering. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Vigils and forums were also held in Sydney and Canberra on Friday, as well as outside the US Consulate in Perth on Wednesday.

On Saturday, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) urged Australians to unite their voices in a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We urgently need a flood of voices TODAY to get supplies to Gaza and end the Israeli attacks,” APAN said in an online statement.

Organisers have been adamant that hate speech or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated at the rallies, with police establishing a visible presence at the events.

This comes after attendees at a protest outside the Sydney Opera House were recorded chanting anti-Semitic slogans last week.

Rallies across the country have called for support for Palestine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Graphic images and footage continue to emerge online as violence escalates in Gaza, triggering mass peace protests all around the world.

Massive rallies have been held in Europe, Asia, the United States and in the Middle East, as attendees call for an end to violence in the region.

Saturday marks two weeks since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1400 people.

Since then, authorities in Gaza estimate Israeli air and artillery strikes have killed at least 4000 people.

Rallies calling for peace have been held around the world this week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

There was a visible police presence at the Jummah Prayers on Friday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Calls for peace have become more widespread this week after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a hospital explosion in Gaza on Tuesday.

The cause of the explosion is still unknown as Hamas blamed an Israeli air strike, while Israel pointed to a failed rocket launched by a Palestinian group.

Israel is currently preparing to launch a ground war in the Gaza, aimed at eradicating Hamas.

APAN community organising and advocacy leader Noura Mansour said the weekend’s rallies were “just a continuation” of the solidarity initiatives undertaken by Palestinians and their supporters to “put pressure on the government”.

“We are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the uplifting of the inhumane siege on Gaza,” Ms Mansour said.

APAN has called the official public opinion ‘contradictory’ to that seen at the grassroots level. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

“According to nearly all experts, including those at the UN, what we are seeing today amounts to genocide.

“There’s the official public opinion and there’s the grassroots opinion, and they’re almost contradictory.”

Ms Nour said the massive outpouring of support for Palestinian freedom and equality showed “just how out of touch” Australian politicians are.

“(We don’t want to be) complicit in this ongoing genocide,” she said.

“Don’t do this in my name and don’t do it with my taxpayer money.

“We demand our government intervenes and doesn’t implicate Australians in this ongoing genocide.”

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies was contacted for comment.

NSW Police predict 12,000-15,000 people turned up at the Sydney pro-Palestine rally. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

While Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin accused demonstration organisers of continuing to use coded anti-Israeli sentiment.

“After the horrific scenes from earlier protests, the organisers are desperately trying to keep protesters to chanting in euphemisms and dog whistles,” Mr Ryvchin said.

“Their calls for the ‘liberation’ of Palestine ’from the river to the sea’ is an unambiguous call for Israel’s destruction and the support for a new intifada is a call for the murder of more civilians.

“The public has been shown what this movement is really about. Their actions are inciting more hatred in Australia and further fracturing our fragile social cohesion.”