In a historic protest, the March for Humanity blocked the Sydney Harbour Bridge, drawing a significant crowd despite adverse weather conditions.
Pro-Palestine Rally Shuts Down Sydney Harbour Bridge
Pro-Palestine Rally Shuts Down Sydney Harbour Bridge
Thousands march in support of Palestine, leading to a Supreme Court decision that authorizes the protest.
A planned pro-Palestine march in Sydney drew thousands of participants and resulted in the closure of the iconic Harbour Bridge after the Supreme Court authorized the gathering just one day earlier. Despite heavy rainfall, demonstrators gathered on Sunday for the March for Humanity, with prominent figures including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and federal MP Ed Husic in attendance.
The last closure of the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a public demonstration occurred earlier in 2023, during the World Pride event, attracting around 50,000 participants. However, two hours into the March for Humanity, attendees were alerted via text from NSW Police that the march would need to pause for public safety concerns. Marchers were instructed to turn back toward the city in an organized manner.
NSW Police did not provide a crowd size estimate, but Transport for NSW advised motorists to steer clear of the city, highlighting expected delays and public transport disruptions due to the protest. The Palestine Action Group initiated the march in response to ongoing concerns regarding humanitarian issues in Gaza, describing their cause as urgent.
Initial applications for the march faced rejection from police based on the time needed to develop a traffic management plan, and law enforcement expressed fears regarding crowd safety. In a statement, NSW Premier Chris Minns previously indicated that such a large-scale protest could lead to chaos in Sydney, stating the government could not support it.
Following a last-minute application to the NSW Supreme Court by the police for a prohibition order, the court ruled against it just before the anticipated event, deeming the case for the protest's urgency compelling. Justice Belinda Rigg acknowledged the public safety concerns, yet dismissed the prohibition, allowing the march to proceed and ensuring the demonstrators were protected under the Summary Offences Act against charges relating to public assembly.
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies expressed disappointment with the Supreme Court's ruling, reflecting broader tensions surrounding the recognition of Palestinian statehood in Australia. As the global community, including France, Canada, and the UK, moves toward recognizing Palestine, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that his nation would prioritize security for Israel before considering any formal recognition of Palestinian statehood, resisting pressure from other countries.
