Sydney Harbour Bridge pro-Palestine protest: Supreme Court to rule on march plan opposed by NSW police and Minns
Thousands of people were expected to join the Sydney Harbour Bridge procession on Sunday to protest Israel's war on the blockaded enclave, before police confirmed they would not permit it.
NSW Police has taken court action to categorise it as unlawful and unauthorised, with the matter is listed for 12.30pm on Friday in the Supreme Court.
Organising group Palestine Action Group Sydney has vowed to rally regardless, without specifying where, of the court outcome, ending a Facebook post with 'whatever happens, see you on Sunday'.
At the same time, five NSW Labor MPs are amongst a 15-strong group of politicians planning to march on Sunday.
'We the undersigned members of the NSW Parliament support, and will attend, Sunday's March for Humanity and Palestine across the harbour bridge,' they said in a joint statement.
'We call upon the NSW government to work with the organisers to facilitate a safe and orderly event, on Sunday 3 August, or on some other agreed date.'
Premier Chris Minns, who has blamed demonstrators for draining police resources for nearly two years in their facilitation of weekly protests in the city's centre, said he 'cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos'.
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to block public roads and infrastructure, but police can go to court to deny permission.
But in an open letter, lawyers have again questioned NSW's protest laws and argued they run contrary to Australia's civil rights obligations under an international treaty.
'As a party to the core United Nations human rights treaties, Australia has recognised that freedom of assembly is a fundamental human right and, in consequence, NSW must protect it,' Australian Lawyers for Human Rights vice president Kerry Weste said.
'The right of peaceful assembly extends to all gatherings for peaceful purposes, wherever they take place. and regardless of whether they occur in the form of demonstrations, protests, meetings, processions, rallies, sit-ins, candle-lit vigils or even flash mobs.'
The number of Palestinians killed during the war on Gaza is more than 60,000, according to local health authorities, while dozens of people are reported by the United Nations to have died in recent weeks due to starvation.
Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages.
The bridge has previously been shut down, including for a reconciliation rally in 2000, which attracted more than 250,000 people, a World Pride event attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and a Hollywood film production.
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