The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network unequivocally condemns the racist violence unleashed by NSW and Victorian Police against peaceful demonstrators in Sydney and Melbourne last night.
Across more than 30 cities and towns around the country, tens of thousands of people mobilised in disciplined, peaceful protest. In Sydney, community members, including APAN staff, took to the streets to oppose the visit of Isaac Herzog to Australia and to demand an end to Israel’s ongoing atrocities in Gaza, the West Bank, and ‘48 Palestine.
In Sydney and Melbourne, protesters were met with force, intimidation and physical aggression.
Police attacked Muslims at prayer. Families, elders and young people were punched, pushed, and attacked with pepper-spray during the operation.
These actions took place under the authority of the NSW Government and raise urgent concerns about the anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia that is rampant in their actions. This violence is a continuation of the attacks that police regularly unleash against First Nations people, refugees, and Muslims and must be addressed by the whole of society.
APAN will not accept the normalisation of force against people exercising democratic rights, and we will continue to advocate until Palestinian lives matter.
APAN Executive Officer Katie Shammas said:
“For more than two years, communities across this country have marched peacefully, week after week, calling for Palestinian lives to matter.
Last night, in Sydney and Melbourne, that peaceful commitment was answered with batons and pepper spray.
When a Premier can hold an umbrella for a visiting head of state who stands accused of inciting genocide while people in his own streets are struck for opposing genocide, the colonial racism is impossible to ignore.
This was not about safety or order. It was about power, who it protects and who it punishes.
If anyone believes scenes like this will frighten us into retreat, they profoundly misunderstand our movement. We are not going anywhere. We will continue to stand up, to speak out, and to demand accountability.”
ENDS