Sarah Shaweesh charged with trespass after incident at Anthony Albanese Marrickville electorate office

A Palestinian-Australian has been arrested and charged with trespassing, after she allegedly refused to leave the prime minister’s electorate office in Sydney.

A Palestinian-Australian living in Anthony Albanese’s electorate has been arrested and charged with trespassing, after she allegedly refused to leave the prime minister’s electorate office in Sydney.

Sarah Shaweesh had been at the Grayndler electorate office seeking visa assistance when she was allegedly told to leave by office staff.

Sarah Shaweesh has been arrested and charged with trespassing, after she allegedly refused to leave Prime Minister Anthony Albanese electorate office in the Sydney. Picture: Instagram

The 33-year-old woman live streamed her arrest on social media, where she said police had “threatened to arrest me because I went into the office to ask about my family’s declined visa applications to come here from Gaza”.

In the video, Ms Shaweesh is seen speaking with a uniformed NSW police officer outside the building on Marrickville Rd.

She can be heard telling the officer she has a right to enter as a constituent asking for assistance with a visa issue.

The officer says: “You have been asked to leave the office by office staff”.

Shaweesh replies: “But (the staff don’t) want to assist me”.

The offices of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Marrickville were earlier this year graffittied by protestors. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The police officer informs her she can make an official complaint in writing before he tells her she is being arrested and asked to hand over her phone.

NSW Police said in a statement officers were called “following reports of a number of people refusing to leave” Mr Albanese’s electoral office in Marrickville about 11.50am on Thursday.

The woman was arrested for trespassing at Anthony Albanese’s Marrickville office. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Two people were issued with a move on direction,” NSW Police said in a statement.

NSW police confirmed “a 33-year-old woman was arrested after she allegedly failed to leave from the office after being asked by an employee within the building”.

“The woman was taken to Newtown Police Station where she was charged with trespass on prohibited commonwealth land,” the statement said.

Police said the woman was granted conditional bail to appear at Newtown Local Court on July 23.

Originally published as Sarah Shaweesh charged with trespass after incident at Anthony Albanese Marrickville electorate office