Pro-Palestine Protesters Promise To March Over Harbour Bridge On Sunday

Pro-Palestine protesters are planning to march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday, regardless of approval from the Supreme Court.

Yesterday, NSW Police rejected an application by the Palestine Action Group to march, citing to public safety concerns. Organisers took the matter to the Supreme Court today, and have been fighting for approval since 12:30pm.

Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the Court, waving Palestinian flags, as they waited for a verdict.

During the hearing, the Court heard that up to 50,000 people could attend Sunday’s march, with acting assistant police commissioner, Adam Johnson raising concerns for public safety and potential crowd crush.

“50,000 people at Lang Park, whether it’s authorised or unauthorised, has significant public safety risks,” Johnson told PAG Barrister, Felicity Graham.

“We would do our best in the circumstances to maintain public safety to the general public and to the people attending that location as well, and it would be difficult in either case.”

In a press conference outside the Supreme Court this morning, PAG spokesperson, Josh Lees said “urgent” action was needed on Palestine.

“A march over our Sydney Harbour Bridge would send the most powerful message to Israel, to stop this genocide, to the people of Gaza, so they known the whole world has not forgotten them.

“Even if world leaders have forgotten them, the people of the world have not forgotten them, and we will not allow them to be massacred and starve to death.

“If we lose the case today it does not make the protest unlawful or banned — we have the right to protest — but we plan to win.”

NSW Police are seeking a prohibition order for the event which means if the protest does not win approval, those attending would lose immunity from being charged under the summary offences act.

“Arrest is our last option,” Johnson said. “Generally, people are generally compliant when we communicate with them in the first case, for their own safety as well.”

Counter protest planned

A protest against antisemitism will also be going ahead on Sunday, outside of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.

Never Again Is Now, led by Rozelle Anglican Church senior minister March Leach, has lodged a Form 1 application with the NSW Police to hold their own rally.

Describing themselves as a “grassroots movement to combat increased antisemitism”, the group aims to draw attention to the Israeli hostages they say are “still held captive in tunnels by Hamas underneath Gaza”.

“Instead of demonising Israel, the world needs to demand Hamas return the hostages, many of whom have been subject to torture – and real starvation, as we saw from those who have returned home,” said Leach.

“We recognise blocking both the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel may inconvenience people and impact emergency services, but after two years of almost weekly anti-Israel protests without interruption, as the Marxists organising the Bridge protest noted all of a sudden, it’s about ‘the right to protest’.”

Major support across party lines

Premier Chris Minns said earlier in the week that while he recognised many in the community were “very concerned” about the crisis in Palestine, closing the bridge was logistically too difficult.

“I’m not suggesting that the motives of the protesters are wrong or misplaced. I completely accept that many people living in New South Wales would want to protest this situation.

“My point, and it’s an important one, is to close down the Harbour Bridge, which has happened maybe two or three times in a decade, is a logistical and communications Everest. It’s incredibly difficult to do.”

The Harbour Bridge was previously closed to shoot a scene for a Ryan Gosling film in 2023, with other notable closures including the reconciliation march in 2000 and the World Pride March, also in 2023.

NSW politicians across party lines have shared their support for the March for Humanity, with Independent MP Alex Greenwich this morning saying it “would send a powerful global message”.

“Having successfully lobbied the previous Coalition government to allow a march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of LGBTQ equality during Sydney WorldPride, I know it can be done,” he said.

15 state politicians have issued a statement voicing their support for the march, and calling on Minns to let it take place, including Greenwich, Jacqui Scruby, Lynda Voltz, Kobi Shetty, Jenny Leong and Tamara Smith.

Members of the Legislative Council in support include Sue Higginson, John Ruddick, Cameron Murphy, Cate Faehrmann, Sarah Kaine, Abigail Boyd, Amanda Cohn, Anthony D’Adam and Stephen Lawrence.

“We the undersigned members of the NSW Parliament support, and will attend, Sunday’s March for Humanity and Palestine across the harbour bridge,” the statement reads.

“We do so to signal in strong terms our disapproval of the ongoing starvation of Palestinian people and the destruction of Gaza and our commitment to the right to protest against it.

“We call upon the NSW government to work with the organisers to facilitate a safe and orderly event, on Sunday 3 August, or on some other agreed date.”