NSW Police take court action to stop October 7 anniversary rallies

NSW Police has taken court action to stop a pro-Palestine rally, marking the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks, from going ahead in Sydney.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has applied to the NSW Supreme Court to stop the gathering, organised by the Palestine Action Group for Monday. She has also applied to stop the group’s Sunday rally, a weekly fixture since the Hamas attacks, from being held due to safety concerns.

Protesters with a photo of late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Melbourne on Sunday.Credit: AAP

“Officers from Operation Shelter have conducted negotiations with protest organisers, who did submit a Form 1 for each proposed public assembly, but are not satisfied that the protest can proceed safely,” NSW Police said in a statement on Tuesday night.

“Accordingly, the commissioner has decided to apply to the NSW Supreme Court to prohibit the two assemblies.”

The statement said NSW Police “recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly” but added that “the safety of the participants and the wider community” was the force’s top priority.

Palestine Action Group organiser Damian Ridgwell said the group would fight the application and described efforts to stop the rallies as an “attack on fundamental democratic rights”.

“We intend on defending our right to protest and are determined to continue standing for justice for Palestine and Lebanon,” Ridgwell said.

“We do have a right to protest in Australia thankfully and we will be defending that.”

On Monday, NSW Police said two flags “displaying a terrorist organisation symbol” during a pro-Palestine rally on Sunday and investigations were continuing, although no incidents had been referred to the AFP.

“People have to know that they are carrying a symbol that is prohibited. Generally speaking, we give them the opportunity to remove that symbol, and if they don’t, and they continue presenting that symbol in a public place, then they may have committed that offence,” Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said.

Several Sydney mosques have held memorial services for former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah after he was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut. At least three mosques across the city have advertised memorial services for Hassan, who led the powerful militant group from 1992 until his death at the weekend.

Earlier on Tuesday, Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw said the display of symbols associated with the listed terrorist organisations at last weekend’s protests in Sydney and Melbourne had been “un-Australian” and against the law.

He said his agency would take action, clearing days of debate on whether protesters could be prosecuted under federal laws outlawing insignia of terrorist groups such as Hezbollah.

“If they are flying those flags, in particular the Hezbollah and Hamas flags, action will be taken,” Kershaw said.