‘Incredibly powerful': Sydney Mayor Clover Moore backs pro-Palestine march on Harbour Bridge
The Palestine Action Group Sydney informed NSW Police over the weekend of plans for a march across the bridge on Sunday in response to mass starvation in Gaza.
Police have yet to confirm whether they will seek to block the march, with Premier Chris Minns claiming Sydney could 'descend into chaos' if it went ahead.
In a statement, Ms Moore urged the state government to find an alternative venue or, if 'community sentiment is significant enough', to allow use of the bridge.
'It would be an incredibly powerful symbol for our most iconic landmark to be the site of a demonstration against starvation in Gaza and in favour of lasting peace,' she said.
'The right to protest is paramount in a democracy, and the City has always stood with protestors using their voices to call for peace.'
The Premier said the state government would not support a 'protest of this scale' on the bridge on Monday.
He claimed the protest would not only disrupt thousands of commuters but pose 'real public safety concerns', noting that only a week's notice was provided.
In response, organisers proposed holding the event a week later.
'The Premier warns of chaos, but there is nothing chaotic about people marching for peace, to stop mass starvation.
'We call on the NSW authorities to work with us to plan this event and stand on the right side of history.
'If the Premier says we need more time to plan such an event, then would he agree to support the March for Humanity a week later?'
A mayor arterial route between Sydney's north and south, the Harbour Bridge has been closed multiple times in recent years.
In 2023, it was closed for the filming of The Fall Guy, staring Ryan Gosling, as well as the 2023 World Pride march.
The Palestine Action Group claim the bridge could 'be temporarily closed to help stop a genocide'.
It comes amid mounting pressure on the Albanese government to take a firmer stance on the conflict in Gaza, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed.
The Prime Minister accused Israel of 'clearly' breaching international law over the weekend, but fell short of joining ally France in recognising a Palestinian state.
Israel has been accused of deliberately starving Gaza's remaining two million inhabitants almost two years into Israel's war on the enclave after Hamas' October 7 attack.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government was not to blame for the situation, adding there were 'secure routes' for aid.
In an open letter, seven NSW Greens MPs called on NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley and Acting Commissioner Peter Thurtell to approve the protest.
In NSW, protestors must file a Form One with NSW Police.
If approved, the Form One offers protestors protection from anti-assembly laws.
In their letter, the MPs called the march 'important expression of political communication' and noted previous court challenges by police to pro-Palestine events.
'This is the defining humanitarian issue of our time and leaders across NSW will be remembered for their actions in this moment,' the letter said.
'This is not only an opportunity to reverse course on your crackdown against peaceful protests in NSW – it is a chance to demonstrate you are on the side of humanity'.
The letter was co-signed by MLCs Sue Higginson, Abigail Boyd, and Amanda Cohn, and MPs Jenny Leong, Kobi Shetty, and Tamara Smith.
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