Melbourne anti-Semitism rally attendees detail violence, abuse from pro-Palestine protesters
Many of those targeted were elderly or disabled people or parents with prams, who were forced to walk through the pro-Palestine protest after using the only Parliament Station exit with an elevator.
More than 50 people have detailed accounts of violent and abusive confrontations with pro-Palestine counter-protesters, as they attempted to make their way to a rally against anti-Semitism outside Victorian Parliament just over a fortnight ago.
The deidentified testimony — much of it from elderly and vulnerable community members — has been collated by the organisers of the Never Again Is Now rally and provided to The Australian.
The details come after about 3000 pro-Palestine protesters blocked one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections for hours in a separate incident on Sunday, dumping concrete and gravel “rubble” in front of Flinders Street Station in a bid to stage a fake bomb site.
The May 19 rally against anti-Semitism was attended by thousands of members of the Jewish community and their supporters, including the Christian founders of the Never Again is Now movement, religious leaders and politicians.
Pro-Palestine activists held a counter-protest, with police establishing cordons and barriers to maintain 200 metres of distance between the two groups.
However, anti-Semitism rally attendees who approached the event from the northern side — including elderly and disabled people and parents with prams who were unable to use stairs to exit the Parliament train station — found themselves forced to walk through the Pro-Palestinian crowd at pinch points on either end of the police line.
One woman described her fellow elderly female friend being surrounded by pro-Palestine protesters, who had their faces covered, “and kicked with great force repeatedly in her calves, punched in her shoulders and abused using the foulest of language.”
The woman said her friend was “spat at repeatedly” and sustained a bleeding calf and upper body bruising.
Another woman told of attempting to make her way through the pro-Palestine crowd with her adult daughter, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, and her daughter’s carer.
“We were surrounded by an angry mob that encircled us. One man screamed at me and his nose could almost touch mine. They stole (my daughter)’s Israeli flag from the back of her wheelchair,” the mother and grandmother said.
“(My daughter)’s carer was traumatised and sobbing at the end of this ordeal.”
Another woman described being surrounded by pro-Palestine protesters yelling abuse as she attempted to make her way through the crowd using a walking frame, and an elderly couple with walking sticks spoke of being elbowed and called “f***ing murderers,” while other rally attendees said they had been punched in the jaw and the chest respectively, and others spoke of being kicked, poked and pushed to the ground.
Many Never Again is Now attendees spoke of being verbally abused, with some called “f...ing baby killers”, “Zionist pigs”, “murderers”, “genocide supporters” and “Nazis”, and others told they were “whores” in Arabic, that they “should be killed,” and that a “second Holocaust” was coming for them.
Despite their ordeals, many anti-Semitism rally attendees praised the efforts of police to protect them, although others expressed dismay that they were asked by police to conceal Israeli flags and other indicators of Jewish identity as they left the event.
Asked whether he intended to report the incidents to police, Never Again is Now founder and Anglican minister Mark Leach said many of those who had detailed their experiences had made it clear they would be prepared testify if criminal charges were laid, and his organisation was “considering all options and taking legal advice”.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said police had a “highly visible presence at two counter protests in Melbourne’s CBD on 19 May.”
“Our focus was on separating both groups to ensure the safety of all involved,” the spokeswoman said.
“Unfortunately a small number of people who required the use of the elevator from Parliament Station were affected. Police did their best to assist these people to where they needed to go. If any complaints are made, we of course will always look into them.”
Six people were arrested — all of them linked to the pro-Palestine protest — and charged on summons with a range of offences including bill posting, hindering police, stating a false name, assaulting police and possessing a drug of dependence.
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