‘Violence may ensue’: Labor MPs speak out against premier’s opposition to bridge protest

Members of Chris Minns’s government have accused the premier of overstepping his authority in declaring he would oppose a planned march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday, with Labor MPs criticising him for tainting proper process and being “more concerned about traffic flow than the plight of starving children”.

Despite repeatedly criticising pro-Palestine demonstrators – including previously flagging the potential to limit the number of times organisers could arrange protests in Sydney – Minns sought to strike a conciliatory tone on Tuesday, even as he reiterated that a planned march across the Harbour Bridge could not go ahead.

“Many people are worried about aid and humanitarian care getting into Gaza, and I want the killing to stop as well,” he said.

But Minns’s insistence, during a radio interview with the ABC, that the planned march should not go ahead in “any circumstances” drew an angry rebuke from some Labor MPs who say his ongoing opposition to pro-Palestinian demonstrators has created a “hostile” atmosphere which could lead to violence.

Stephen Lawrence, an upper house Labor MP and barrister, said the “detailed statutory regime” governing rules for protests gave “no substantive role” to the premier in deciding whether police can refuse to give immunity to demonstrators from offences such as blocking roads.

But, he said, he was “extremely concerned” by the premier’s comments, which he said could “taint” due process, and potentially lead to violent confrontations between police and demonstrators because of anger over the decision to block it.

“I find it troubling that the premier’s statement does not reference any apparent sound basis to prevent the protest nor the legal mechanism in NSW through which authorisation is considered,” he said.

“I am concerned the premier has, in effect, made a purported decision himself to try and prevent this protest, that this will taint proper consideration of the matter by police, and that violence may ensue as a consequence.”

Anthony D’Adam, a Labor MP who has repeatedly criticised the premier over his stance on the Gaza conflict, and who was sacked by Minns as a junior minister after he labelled Police Commissioner Karen Webb a “liar” over the behaviour of officers at pro-Palestinian protests, said the premier’s “default position” was to oppose the march.

“The premier is more concerned about traffic flow than the plight of starving children in Gaza,” D’Adam said.

Palestinian Action Group members Josh Lees and Amal Naser with NSW Greens MP Jenny Leong (right).Credit: Wolter Peeters

“The Harbour Bridge has been used on other occasions, and police should work with the Palestine Action Group to find a suitable time for the march to occur on the bridge.”

Police on Tuesday denied Minns’s comments were a factor as he confirmed police would oppose attempts to march across the bridge. Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna said while police were “sympathetic” to the protesters’ cause, the decision was “first and foremost about public and police safety”.

“The premier has come out and stated he didn’t support it. On this occasion, after our deliberations, after we looked at the public safety, and it turns out, we’re in complete agreement,” he said.

Minns on Tuesday said closing down the bridge “even on a short-term basis” would have too big an impact on the city.

NSW Premier Chris Minns is under fire from colleagues over his opposition to a pro-Palestine march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday. Credit: Janie Barrett

While protest organisers have pointed to other reasons for the bridge closing - including the Sydney marathon, filming for a Ryan Gosling movie, and a march during the 2023 World Pride event, Minns said those events had been “months and months and months in preparation”.

Asked whether the march could go ahead if more notice were given, Minns said: “I wouldn’t do it for any circumstances”.

Lawrence, who has repeatedly defended NSW Police over the October 2023 protests, which saw ugly scenes at the NSW Opera House when officers allowed a march from Town Hall in a bid to avoid conflict, said police should be allowed to determine how to manage a protest.

“The safety of police officers themselves could be endangered when political statements impinge on the making of operational policing decisions in respect of protests,” he said.

Labor MP Stephen Lawrence (left) warned Premier Chris Minns’ refusal to allow the march could lead to violent clashes.

Lawrence previously acted for demonstrators in 2020 when police attempted to block a large Black Lives Matter protest through Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has repeatedly warned, he said, about “the risk of violence on our streets if attempts are made by the executive government to prevent peaceful mass protests”.

“I have felt the need to give these warnings because an environment has been created by senior political leaders, Labor and conservative, hostile to protests concerned with the rights of Palestinian people,” he said.

“In a free and democratic society, with a constitutional protection on political communication, it is rarely, if ever, the role of the state to prevent mass protests.”

After meeting with police on Tuesday, Josh Lees, one of the organisers, said Minns’ comments would lead more people to attend.

“All the evidence is that when the police or the premier try to ban our protest, they multiply in size by about 10 because people are outraged not only that there’s a genocide going on but that our government would try to stop us protesting against that genocide,” he said.

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