Nine protesters were charged Tuesday following a night of violent clashes with police during a demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia. The rally, held outside Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday, saw thousands of demonstrators met with a heavy police presence, resulting in arrests, pepper spray deployment, and reports of physical altercations.
Police confirmed 27 arrests, with nine individuals facing charges including behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and resisting a police officer. An additional six protesters are expected to receive court attendance notices for failing to comply with move-on orders, according to police statements.
Video footage circulating on social media depicts chaotic scenes, including an officer repeatedly punching a man with raised hands in the stomach, and a group of Muslim men being forcibly removed from their knees while engaged in prayer. Five members of the public required hospital treatment as a result of the confrontations.
Aftab Malik, Australia’s special envoy to combat Islamophobia, condemned the police response, describing it as “unprovoked violence and aggression” and calling Monday night “a very dark night.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns defended the actions of law enforcement, citing a long-standing cooperative relationship between NSW Police and the Islamic and Arabic communities. He acknowledged the difficult circumstances faced by officers, characterizing the situation as “in effect in the middle of a riot.” Minns also criticized some rally attendees and speakers for attempting to march despite police restrictions.
Labor MP Sarah Kaine, who addressed the rally, rejected any suggestion that her participation incited violence. “I don’t reckon it’s helpful for police or anyone else in high office to be making allegations like that,” she told the Australian Associated Press.
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon described the crowd as “volatile.” Greens MP Abigail Boyd, who alleges she was assaulted by three police officers, disputed the proportionality of the response. “I got this almighty shove from my right and I went flying, lifted off the ground… and then this one copper just punched me as I was trying to get my balance,” Boyd said, adding she weighs 60 kilograms and is 1.5 meters tall.
Community worker Paula Abood reported being assaulted on two occasions while attempting to assist other protesters who were being struck by police. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my 40 years of marching the streets of Sydney,” she stated.
President Herzog’s visit followed a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in December, which left fifteen people dead, including a ten-year-old girl. He has faced scrutiny over comments made in 2023 that a UN inquiry found might reasonably be interpreted as inciting genocide against Palestinians, allegations he denies, claiming his remarks were taken out of context.
Despite the protests, Herzog continued his tour on Tuesday, visiting Moriah War Memorial College, a Jewish school in Sydney’s east.
