NSW Police Defends Officers' Actions in Violent Clashes with Sydney Protesters Rallying Against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's Visit
The NSW premier and a senior NSW Police officer have defended the actions of authorities during violent clashes with demonstrators at a protest in Sydney's CBD. Twenty-seven people were arrested, including 10 for assaulting police, on Monday night at a demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia.
Police estimated 6,000 people gathered at Town Hall for what organizers Palestine Action Group (PAG) said would be a peaceful rally. At the conclusion of the speeches, the crowd assembled on George Street wanted to march to NSW Parliament despite the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD) and Major Events Act making it unlawful to do so.
Some in the crowd appeared to attempt to break through police blockades. At one stage, protesters were yelling 'Let us march', as police tried to disperse the crowd from the Town Hall precinct. Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said officers were 'threatened, jostled and assaulted' during 'a number of melees, rolling fights' and 'violent behaviour'.
A number of videos appearing to show police officers punching a man and officers confronting protesters were posted to social media. Assistant Commissioner McKenna said he was 'very proud of the police officers' and stood by their actions in the face of 'outrageous behaviour'.
'I absolutely think police actions were justified,' he said. 'I saw the restraint of police tonight. They took more than their time before they utilised any of their powers. It was really quite precarious at times for our officers who were significantly outnumbered by the protesters and the people who wanted to act in a violent and offensive manner.'
Premier Chris Minns said police did 'everything possible' to avoid clashes through days of negotiations with PAG to have the protest and march at Hyde Park and down College Street. He also defended the actions of officers on the ground, who he said needed to make tactical decisions in a 'difficult situation'.
'The circumstances are difficult for the police, who are trying to keep the public and public safe,' he told ABC Radio Sydney. Mr Minns said while images of the violence 'don't look good' the actions of police needed to be understood within the tense nature of the rally.
PAG spokesperson Josh Lees said the violence could have been avoided if police allowed protesters to march and police actions were disproportionate. 'Of course, this is not what I wanted to see, this sickening police brutality,' he said. He said police officers charged at those trying to leave and pepper-sprayed people on the ground.
PAG has flagged another protest outside a Sydney police station for Tuesday. Officer actions 'justified'
Assistant Commissioner McKenna said speakers incited the crowd to march. 'It got to the point that I believe the crowd really took part in some type of contagion of groupthink, where we saw ordinary people who really took part in something that I don't think they would normally do,' he told a late-night media conference on Monday. Some protesters were restrained on the ground or removed from the area.
'They're [organizers] always very quick to say they don't want violence, they don't want conflict but when they're on microphones telling crowds to do the wrong thing, telling crowds to take on police, this is what happens,' he said. Mr McKenna said it was important to view videos of police interactions with protesters in the wider context.
'I can understand, one video in particular, it might even be offensive to people, but I will say this: please understand they are small videos being put up and I would say out of context of what was a rolling melee of violence and un-Australian and inappropriate behaviour tonight,' he said. 'Police didn't go out there looking for fights, police didn't go out there looking for violence, but that happened tonight.' He said none of the officers were seriously injured.
Labor upper house MP Stephen Lawrence was at the protest and recalled seeing attendees being punched and 'assaulted' by police. 'I was actually standing right there. I was attempting to leave the protests at that point, but we were blocked off,' he said. 'A woman started to scream at the police and then the next thing I saw was she looked like being assaulted by police. Then the police seemed to be punching that man in the white shirt.'
Paramedics treated a number of protesters after OC spray was deployed, but Mr McKenna said there were no reports of serious injuries. Greens MP for Newtown Jenny Leong, who was at the protest, said people were pepper sprayed as they were trying to leave the rally. Ms Leong said she was among a group of people who sought shelter inside a nearby takeaway shop.
'People were trying to leave, but every single entrance to the square was blocked and the protesters were being told to move to the other exit,' she said. 'We're using water on people to clear their eyes … other people who are elderly have come in to try and seek refuge. We then attempted to move to the other exit and people were grabbed.'
Jewish mourners protected Mr McKenna said there was an event at the International Convention Centre nearby the protest where thousands of Jewish people and Mr Herzog were mourning the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack. He said police had to make sure the protesters did not clash with attendees of the event and it took 'hours' to clear the CBD. 'We had to be very careful that people didn't come within contact with each other and these sorts of clashes take place,' he said. 'Sometimes we can't always come out and say our rationale behind why we do things operationally, but there's always a reason behind it.'
Earlier in the day, three people were issued move on notices under the Major Events Act. A NSW Police spokesperson said a 24-year-old man was spoken to by officers after climbing on an electrical box and yelling at a passing motorcade on Campbell Parade in Bondi Beach, where Mr Herzog had attended. Two other people holding placards at the Bondi Pavilion event complied with move on notices. ABC NEWS Verify is looking for video from last night's Sydney protest to forensically examine what went on, and to unpack the competing narratives between protesters and police. All vision is welcome — not just of controversial events but also of the lead up to, and aftermath of flashpoints.
