Sydney Harbour Bridge Palestine protest LIVE: Thousands set to march for Gaza
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8.10am
No tolerance for 'racism of any kind'
In her decision on Saturday, Justice Belinda Rigg said Palestine Action Group Sydney organiser Josh Lees gave evidence that the timing of the march and its location was 'directly responsive to the dramatic increase in the known suffering of Gazan citizens over the last weeks'.
Lees gave unchallenged evidence that 'ground rules for protests are well established, including no racism of any kind, including antisemitism', the judge said. 'This message has been put forward repeatedly through social media events pages and announcements at the protests.'
8.07am
Court rejected police bid for prohibition order
Protest organisers had been locked in a dispute with NSW Police after giving notice last week of their plans to march across 'Australia's most iconic symbol'.
The Palestine Action Group offered to defer the march to a Sunday in coming weeks to allow for greater coordination with police, but organisers said police did not engage with that offer.
NSW Police ultimately lodged an urgent application in the Supreme Court, seeking a prohibition order over the protest. Despite its name, that order would not have resulted in the protest being banned outright, but would have left protesters exposed to a wider range of criminal sanctions, including for obstructing traffic.
In a decision delivered on Saturday morning after an urgent hearing on Friday, Justice Belinda Rigg rejected the police application.
Rigg's decision meant the protest remained an authorised public assembly. It means protesters participating in the march have a limited immunity or protection from criminal liability for actions such as obstructing traffic.
However, this does not give protesters a licence to engage in criminal behaviour. Police still have a wide range of powers at their disposal.
8.05am
The planned route and road closures
In addition to the Harbour Bridge, CBD streets including York Street and Clarence Street, the Cahill Expressway over Circular Quay and the Western Distributor, and Grosvenor Street, as well as sections of Pacific Highway, Blue Street and Lavender Street in North Sydney, will be closed, Transport for NSW said on Saturday.
The march is expected to proceed from Lang Park, near Wynyard, and across the Harbour Bridge to North Sydney.
8.03am
Harbour Bridge set to close at 11.30am
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the planned pro-Palestine protest in Sydney today.
The protest is expected to result in tens of thousands of protesters marching across the Harbour Bridge to oppose the Israeli government's military action in Gaza.
Organised by the Palestine Action Group, the march begins at 1pm at Lang Park in the Sydney CBD – on the corner of York, Grosvenor and Lang streets – and will proceed to the Harbour Bridge.
The bridge will be closed to traffic bridge in both directions between 11.30am and 4pm, but trains will still run across the bridge.
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The federal government has been hesitant to commit to a deadline for recognition and the coalition has raised concerns such an action could be seen as a reward for designated terrorist organisation Hamas. But Australia's former ambassador to Israel Peter Rodgers dismissed such arguments as "nonsensical". "Not recognising a Palestinian state rewards Israel," he told ABC Radio. "It rewards the government of Benjamin Netanyahu for ethnic cleansing and apartheid in the West Bank." A genocide case has been brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which is yet to rule on the matter. Mr Netanyahu's office called the allegations "false and outrageous", with his government repeatedly claiming it only targets Hamas and not civilians. Violence in Gaza reignited after Hamas killed 1200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages on October 7, 2023. Israel's military response has since killed 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. 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"The entire international community is distressed by what we're seeing happening in Gaza," he told reporters in Melbourne. More than two million people in Gaza are now facing high levels of food insecurity, United Nations sources have found. Israel denies there is starvation in the besieged strip despite international human rights groups decrying its offensive in Gaza and attributing deaths to starvation. University students have walked out of classrooms across the country in solidarity with Palestinians as Australia considers its next diplomatic moves. National student strikes were held in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane and Wollongong on Thursday to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. About 300 people gathered in central Melbourne, with one speaker accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong of having '"the blood of Gaza" on their hands. "Thousands of children, hundreds of thousands of people are slowly starving to death in a man-made famine," she told the crowd outside the State Library. The demonstrators marched through the street holding signs and chanting "Israel out of Gaza" and "Israel out of West Bank". They staged a sit-in at the corner in front of Flinders Street Station, blocking the intersection to traffic. Police tried to open the road and removed protesters who refused to move. Five protesters were arrested and are expected to be charged on summons, police said. A man with an Australian flag was also moved on for breaching the peace. Tens of thousands of Australians took part in pro-Palestine protests at the weekend, including at least 90,000 who rallied at the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Brisbane's Story Bridge could be the next monument to host a historic march after Justice For Palestine told Queensland police of their intention to walk across it on August 24. Australia has begun co-ordinating with other nations as France, Canada and the UK prepare to recognise the state of Palestine at a United Nations meeting in September. The federal government has been hesitant to commit to a deadline for recognition and the coalition has raised concerns such an action could be seen as a reward for designated terrorist organisation Hamas. But Australia's former ambassador to Israel Peter Rodgers dismissed such arguments as "nonsensical". "Not recognising a Palestinian state rewards Israel," he told ABC Radio. "It rewards the government of Benjamin Netanyahu for ethnic cleansing and apartheid in the West Bank." A genocide case has been brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which is yet to rule on the matter. Mr Netanyahu's office called the allegations "false and outrageous", with his government repeatedly claiming it only targets Hamas and not civilians. Violence in Gaza reignited after Hamas killed 1200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages on October 7, 2023. Israel's military response has since killed 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. More than 50,000 children have been killed or injured by Israel since October 2023, UNICEF said. Mr Rodgers was one of many former Australian diplomats who signed an open letter to Mr Albanese calling on Australia to urgently recognise Palestinian statehood. More than 140 of the 193 United Nations member states already recognise the state of Palestine, including European Union member states Spain and Ireland. Mr Albanese has said the recognition of Palestine would need to guarantee Hamas plays no role in the future nation. Hamas has effectively governed Gaza since violently defeating the political party Fatah, which now controls the Palestinian Authority that exercises partial civil control in the West Bank. 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Brisbane's Story Bridge could be the next monument to host a historic march after Justice For Palestine told Queensland police of their intention to walk across it on August 24. Australia has begun co-ordinating with other nations as France, Canada and the UK prepare to recognise the state of Palestine at a United Nations meeting in September. The federal government has been hesitant to commit to a deadline for recognition and the coalition has raised concerns such an action could be seen as a reward for designated terrorist organisation Hamas. But Australia's former ambassador to Israel Peter Rodgers dismissed such arguments as "nonsensical". "Not recognising a Palestinian state rewards Israel," he told ABC Radio. "It rewards the government of Benjamin Netanyahu for ethnic cleansing and apartheid in the West Bank." A genocide case has been brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice, which is yet to rule on the matter. Mr Netanyahu's office called the allegations "false and outrageous", with his government repeatedly claiming it only targets Hamas and not civilians. Violence in Gaza reignited after Hamas killed 1200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages on October 7, 2023. Israel's military response has since killed 60,000 people, according to local health authorities. More than 50,000 children have been killed or injured by Israel since October 2023, UNICEF said. Mr Rodgers was one of many former Australian diplomats who signed an open letter to Mr Albanese calling on Australia to urgently recognise Palestinian statehood. More than 140 of the 193 United Nations member states already recognise the state of Palestine, including European Union member states Spain and Ireland. Mr Albanese has said the recognition of Palestine would need to guarantee Hamas plays no role in the future nation. Hamas has effectively governed Gaza since violently defeating the political party Fatah, which now controls the Palestinian Authority that exercises partial civil control in the West Bank. Mr Albanese spoke with Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, reiterating Australia's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East that would allow Palestine and Israel to co-exist. "The entire international community is distressed by what we're seeing happening in Gaza," he told reporters in Melbourne. More than two million people in Gaza are now facing high levels of food insecurity, United Nations sources have found. Israel denies there is starvation in the besieged strip despite international human rights groups decrying its offensive in Gaza and attributing deaths to starvation.
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Justice For Palestine says 7000 expected at Story Bridge march
Don't miss out on the headlines from Brisbane City. Followed categories will be added to My News. A pro-Palestinian group has sought to shut down the Story Bridge for a mass protest — in an action to mirror the mammoth march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It will be up to Queensland Police to decide — at least initially — if the protest planned for Sunday August 24 can go ahead. Queensland's major Jewish group has already warned the protest will worsen violence and anti-Semitic behaviour against the community. Justice for Palestine has lodged an application to shut down the Story Bridge for hours so that protesters — which they estimate will number at least 7000 — can march 1.5km from Raymond Park to Centenary Place. Queensland Police in May stopped a protest on Story Bridge organised by community members angry at Brisbane City Council's closure of footpaths for critical maintenance. Palestinian protesters on the Harbour Bridge on Sunday. Picture: Brendan Read A QPS spokesman confirmed they had received notice from Justice for Palestine, and the application was being assessed. 'The QPS recognises that every person has the right to peacefully assemble under the Human Rights Act and Peaceful Assembly Act,' he said. Brisbane City Council opposed the planned Story Bridge footpath protest. It was approached for comment. Premier David Crisafulli said whether to allow the protest was a matter for Queensland Police. 'Police will assess the application independently based on community safety but shutting down a city is no way to endear Queenslanders to your cause,' he said. Organisers of the pro-Palestinian march across the Harbour Bridge were initially denied by NSW Police, but the decision was overturned in court. Justice For Palestine organiser and spokesman Omar Ashour said based on the Sydney turnout and the increase in attendance at the group's Brisbane events it expected about 7000 people to attend the march. 'The Harbour Bridge rally last Sunday changed the tone in the media and in government,'' he said. 'They realise they have underestimated the feeling in the community both here and overseas. 'It's only words so far, but the words from the government are starting to change. This is all a reflection of the genuine sentiment in the street.'' Palestinian protesters on the Harbour Bridge on Sunday. Picture: Brendan Read Mr Ashour said there would be speakers at the end of the march including past or present politicians. He estimated it would take several hours to reach the CBD — a move which would cause traffic chaos as the Story Bridge is a major arterial connecting Brisbane's north and south sides. Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg said Jews were worried the Story Bridge protest would only worsen violence against his community and anti-Semitic behaviour. 'It's not a great environment for Jews in Queensland or Australia at the moment and that's very sad,' he said. He called the Sydney march 'abhorrent'' because protesters were carrying banners with images of tyrannical Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and terrorist group Hezbollah and chanting 'the river to the sea'' — seen as a call to drive Israelis from their country. A flyer for the planned Story Bridge march. The biggest march in Brisbane's history was against the Iraq War, with the 2003 protest through the city drawing a crowd of 100,000 people according to State Library of Queensland records. The Story Bridge handled crowds of 74,000 people — broken into four 1.5 hour blocks — during its 75th birthday celebrations. Organisers of the protest across the Sydney expected 50,000 people to attend the march on August 3. Police estimated at least 90,000 people took part.
