Faced with the devastating situation in Palestine, this became the largest protest in Australian history, the first time so many citizens had gathered. In a country of 25 million people, 100,000 protested in just one city. The demonstration was organised by a civilian group that has been holding weekly Sunday protests calling for a ceasefire from Israel. Initially, the organisers had expected around 50,000 participants, and police, concerned about safety, asked for the protest to be cancelled.
However, the Supreme Court permitted the protest—only for it to swell to 100,000.
Because so many unexpectedly converged on the Harbour Bridge, the original plan—to march from a park, across the bridge, to the Israeli consulate, protest there, then return—fell apart.
The police could not manage the crowd adequately, leading to confusion: some people were stuck on the bridge for hours, while others could only march back and forth across it. YouTube videos filmed from trains running parallel to the bridge showed just how many citizens were there.
In the southern hemisphere’s deep winter, Sydney was enduring relentless rain for three days, with temperatures at 6°C. The previous night had brought thunderstorms, heavy rain, and strong winds, leaving many shivering and causing significant damage. In the Hunter Valley, a few hours from Sydney, it even snowed, while flooding in the north left some people missing. On the day of the protest itself, there were sudden bursts of heavy wind and rain, and even when it stopped raining, it remained bitterly cold and stormy.
Among those who braved the weather to join the protest in support of Palestine and against Israel were Julian Assange, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, and former NSW Premier Bob Carr.
Their demands were:
An immediate ceasefire
The release of hostages
Official recognition of Palestine as an independent state
Supporting Palestine is not antisemitic, nor is it rooted in hatred of Jewish people. It is a movement for Palestinians to reclaim their rights from those occupying their land, and above all, to stop the genocide and resist Zionism.
In a country like Australia, built by immigrants from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, this massive protest—unprecedented in scale—may well be remembered as historic.
