NSW Police is considering authorising the use of “extraordinary” powers to search and identify protesters ahead of a pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney planned for Sunday.
Acting Commissioner Dave Hudson said an event by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney was deemed unauthorised this week due to a form not being submitted within the required time frame.
It followed a protest in front of Sydney Opera House earlier this week where racial epithets were chanted by some attendees.
On Monday night hundreds of people attended a pro-Palestinian rally outside the Sydney Opera House, while the landmark was lit in colours of the Israeli flag.
At the protest flares were lit by some in the crowd and thrown onto the forecourt steps, where rows of police officers were monitoring the situation.
Some protesters waved Palestinian flags and chanted slogans like “f… the Jews”, “free Palestine” and “shame Israel”.
No arrests were made and no-one was reported to have been injured.
Acting Commissioner Hudson on Friday said if the powers were used, police would be able to search attendees without reasonable cause and request identification, where failure to provide relevant documents would be deemed an offence.
The wider powers were introduced after the 2005 Cronulla riots and have been used “intermittently” since, the acting commissioner said.
“The powers are extensive, when the authority is granted all those powers will be available to us, however, we would not be looking to exercise the full suite of powers,” Acting Commissioner Hudson said.
“Only the ones bespoke to the situation we’re currently in, and we think those additional powers are required to appropriately and safely manage what is to occur on Sunday.”
He warned protesters planning to attend not to go to the planned gathering, but said police are expecting between 300 and 400 people at the moment.
“We don’t prohibit anyone from the right to protest but there are peaceful manners in which that could happen,” Acting Commissioner Hudson said.
“People do have a right to protest, but there are responsibilities with that.”
powers introduced in response to islamophobic backlash to be used in islamophobic backlash, details at 7
Who gets to decide what an “appropriate” protest is? Does an appropriate protest happen to be something completely harmless which can safely be ignored, and changes nothing? Perhaps while the police freely curbstomp anyone who waved a sign too briskly?
Hi all, I’ve seen a few posts on other instances about the latest Israel/Palestine flair-up turn into mini wars. Both sides have wide support on the fediverse, so you are very likely to encounter people you disagree with in any post that even references it.
If you are going to engage, please keep it civil. Opinions and genuine discorse are welcome, individual attacks on users are not. Understand that we don’t tolerate personal attacks at aussie.zone. There are other places in the fediverse if you feel like fighting and being nasty.
Can we be pro Palestinian people but anti Hamas and anti violence?
no you cant. Hamas is the name of Palestinians fighting against apartheid and genocide. If you are against Hamas you are against Palestinians. The Palestinian March of Return proved violence is the only way for Palestinians to end apartheid because nobody else will do anything to stop israel. If you want Palestinians to be non-violent you are asking them to let the zionists take their homes, nation, culture and lives.
anti Hamas and anti violence = pro genocide.
As much as I do believe in freedom to protest, the measures are completely justified, especially with the ‘call to jihad’ thats come out. This isnt a situation where one can expect protests to be peaceful
Let me get the world’s smallest violin to serenade you while you deal with the world’s smallest brigade
