NSW Premier Chris Minns accused of being ‘grossly insensitive’ over protest stance

NSW Premier Chris Minns is facing backlash from pro-Palestine activists over his tough stance on protests.

Activists say NSW Premier Chris Minns is “grossly insensitive” for his hard line against planned pro-Palestine demonstrations around the anniversary of Hamas’ horrific October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.

Following an 11th-hour Supreme Court hearing, Palestine Action Group withdrew its application to protest on Monday, October 7, saying it would instead hold a vigil at Sydney’s Town Hall and a rally at Hyde Park on Sunday, October 6.

Mr Minns has consistently criticised any demonstrations around the anniversary, which marks the greatest loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust.

But Palestine Action Group organisers said on Friday they “have a right to mourn” those killed by Israel’s military action against Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organisation that administers the densely populated Gaza Strip.

“It has led to 42,000 Palestinians being killed and we have a right to mourn them, and we have a right to declare that this is the anniversary of the start of this genocide,” the protest group’s Amal Nasser told reporters.

“I think it’s grossly insensitive to not allow us to mourn, for a premier to not allow us to mourn and to continuously pushback against us and he’s never given space for the Palestinian movement.”

As of Friday afternoon, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said police had authorised a Palestine Action Group protest for Sunday.

The group will also hold a stationary vigil on Monday that has not been authorised, meaning it will be illegal for attendees to march or leave the vigil area to protest.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said protest organisers had promised that people would not attend with “flags, portraits or symbols connected to a prohibited terrorist organisation”; however, she said police would not hesitate to act if needed.

“We will work with organisers to conduct a high visibility policing operation on Sunday to ensure the safety of the community and police will not hesitate to take appropriate, proportionate action against anyone who commits a criminal offence,” she said.

Ms Webb said that while police expected Monday’s events would be a “policeable small vigil”, she said police were concerned it could evolve into a larger event, like last year’s protest at the Sydney Opera House.

“We can’t rule (that) out – we would always be concerned that there’d be interlopers, (and that) people will come in for the wrong reason,” she said.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said police believed Monday’s protest would be a ‘policeable small vigil’ but police were concerned that tensions could become more inflamed. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police would attend both events.

Speaking about Sunday’s event, he said he was hoping for a peaceful protest.

“If we see there are public safety issues, if people want to commit a criminal offence or significant anti-social behaviour … we won’t tolerate that (and) we won’t hesitate to act,” he said.

“We have an agreement with the organisers thus far about what they can and can’t do. If they stick to that agreement, and the people who come to this protest do it in good faith and for the right reasons, then hopefully they’ll be able to come in and come out, and there will be no issues.

“We want to make sure everyone is safe. That is our main concern … We’ve done these protest marches now for this will be week 52, so we’re well rehearsed,” he said.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Minns called the demonstrations “grossly insensitive”.

Demonstrations in Australia are facing increased scrutiny after flags of Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, and framed pictures of its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, appeared at pro-Palestine rallies last weekend.

Mr Minns on Friday warned that protesters would face the full force of the law if they made racist chants, gave anti-Semitic sermons or brandished illegal symbols.

“I don’t think it is appropriate, that is my personal view,” he said.

“To hold a protest or a rally on a day when people were massacred on the other side of the world is grossly insensitive, in my opinion.”

Mr Minns vowed anyone found contravening the laws or “demonising the state’s Jewish community” would be punished

“We cannot allow a situation where permissive anti-Semitism creeps into the public dialogue because a certain group in our community believe that kind of racism is okay. It’s not okay,” he said.

“I want to make it clear that if there’s any breaches in protests, in public sermons, in speeches over this weekend, it will be met with very strict laws in Australia and in NSW in relation to hate speech.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the demonstrations planned for Sunday and Monday were ‘grossly insensitive’. Picture: NewsWire/ Damian Shaw

He added efforts to stop the protest were done out of genuine safety concerns and not to prevent free speech.

“It is not an attempt to restrict freedom of speech in Sydney, it is genuine community concern about safety of Sydney streets and an attempt to stop a conflict on the streets,” Mr Minns said.

But Palestine Action Group’s Josh Lees said the efforts to block the demonstrations were “part of a concerted attempt to deny the fact that Palestinians are even allowed to be called victims of a bloodbath that’s going on for 12 months.”

BIPARTISAN SUPPORT

Earlier on Friday, Labor minister Bill Shorten and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton put aside partisan politics to urge pro-Palestine protest organisers to abandon plans to hold rallies around the anniversary of Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks on Israel.

Mr Shorten and Mr Dutton are usually at each other’s throats, but in a joint morning show appearance, the longtime rivals came together to question why “people would want to celebrate Hamas’ actions”.

“This is the biggest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust … that’s what October 7th is,” Mr Dutton told Nine’s Today.

“This is an anniversary of 1200 people losing their lives, and that’s why the protests shouldn’t go ahead.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says pro-Palestinian protests around the anniversary of Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel would only be ‘compounding the grief of people who have lost lives’. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten says he does ‘not understand how people would want to celebrate Hamas’ actions.’ NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Dutton said demonstrations around the anniversary, which are planned in Sydney and Melbourne, would only be “compounding the grief of people who have lost lives”.

“Why would people want to do this?” Mr Dutton asked.

“I think there are people within the community, so-called leaders within the community, who should show greater sensitivity. And there are other dates that they can commemorate.”

Mr Shorten said he agreed with much of what Mr Dutton said.

“October the 7th was a massacre of Israelis,” the federal minister said.

“Hamas crossed the border. They killed young people at a concert. They committed shocking crimes. They kidnapped people. They sexually abused people.

“I don’t know what … I don’t know why someone would protest about that.”

He said he understood why the pro-Palestine movement would be asking about their right to voice their “pain” over the loss of Palestinian lives in Gaza, which is upward of 40,000, but questioned why they would do it on October 7.

“I do not understand how people would want to celebrate Hamas’ actions,” Mr Shorten said.

He added that he thought “most Australians don’t want to see these arguments from overseas coming to these shores.”

“They certainly expect it to be peaceful,” he said.

People hold up pictures of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the Hezbollah flag at a protest at Town Hall in Sydney. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

State and territory police forces pledged on Friday to enforce laws on banned symbols at any demonstrations.

“Police respect the right to peacefully protest and assemble in Australia; however, there will be no tolerance for illegal behaviour or violence on any day of the year,” the country’s police forces said in a joint statement.

“In Australia, there are offences that prohibit behaviour that incites or advocates violence or hatred based on race and religion, including the display of prohibited symbols in public under these circumstances.

“It is also a serious offence to counsel, promote, encourage, urge, instruct or praise terrorism.”

They said they would work with all “stakeholders”, including “community leaders and leaders of faith to ensure Australian laws are understood”.