A woman has been arrested on suspicion of trespassing at Anthony Albanese’s office, which remains barricaded by protesters.
Sarah Shaweesh captured the arrest on Instagram, identifying herself as a local voter who lives in Marrickville, in Sydney’s west, where Mr Albanese has his electoral office.
But she claims in a video clip that the “police and the AFP are threatening to arrest me because I went to the office today to ask about my family’s rejected visa application to come here from Gaza.”
The images she posted on the social media platform X showed a police officer approaching her.
“So at this point you’re under arrest. I’m going to have to take the phone away from you,” the officer said.
“But why are you arresting me?” she asked, and the answer was “for trespassing.”
“But that’s a voter’s office, so I should be able to go in there,” Ms. Shaweesh replied.
“I have a legal right to be heard. We paid for a government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, to apply for a visa, but it was denied.
Sarah Shaweesh has been arrested for trespassing at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office
‘If your application has been rejected, you can contact your local member. They will be able to assist you.’
“I understand that,” the officer said.
“He doesn’t want to help me… for no reason,” Ms Shaweesh added.
However, the officer was not deterred.
“Anthony Albanese’s office is arresting me for coming to help,” Shaweesh said.
“Anthony Albanese’s office is not arresting you,” the officer replied.
“I’m arresting you.”
A New South Wales Police spokesman said they were called to Mr Albanese’s office at 11.50am “following reports of a number of people refusing to leave an office”.
“Two people have been given a transit order,” the spokesperson said.
A 33-year-old woman was arrested after she refused to leave her office after being asked to do so by an employee in the building.
‘The woman was taken to Newtown Police Station where she was charged with trespassing within Commonwealth territory.’
In a GoFundMe Ms Shaweesh wrote that she was trying to help 11 family members, including children, “escape the escalating violence in Gaza,” but that they needed at least $5,000 each to do so.
“With their homes destroyed, infrastructure crumbling and the threat of an air raid hanging over their heads, their safety is at risk at all times,” she wrote in the fundraiser.
“Every week their situation becomes more dire. The family has survived the winter without windows, food or clean water. They are dependent on aid, which is scarce.”
Despite Ms Shaweesh’s pleas that she was acting lawfully, she was arrested by a police officer
She said the money raised “will be sent to our relatives on the ground in Egypt, who will arrange everything necessary to evacuate my two cousins, their wives and children.”
Ms Shaweesh wrote an update in April to thank her supporters as the page reached almost half of its $70,000 goal.
Earlier this month, Daily Mail Australia’s political editor Peter Van Onselen criticised the prime minister for “handing over his office in Sydney’s west to a pro-Palestinian protest camp”.
“Mr Albanese has been locked out of his Marrickville home, where he has been staying for years, because of a handful of peaceful protesters,” Van Onselen wrote.
“It has largely rendered useless the office that serves its constituents.”
Van Onselen noted that there are “plenty of laws designed and regularly used to disperse protesters.”
“But for some reason the prime minister does not want to shake things up and remove the pro-Palestinian camp by force,” he wrote.
‘Perhaps he fears that the scenes will have a negative impact on the political left wing of the Labour Party.
The outside of the Prime Minister’s office in Marrickville, in Sydney’s west, has been occupied by a pro-Palestinian camp, preventing voters from reaching the office.
‘So instead, the nation’s leader has allowed himself to be rendered powerless and unable to visit since January, with fences even being erected to protect parts of the office space.
‘Staff have been told that the office cannot function properly for security reasons, despite the fact that the demonstration was completely harmless.
‘Bewildered voters, used to having access to the information resources of their local MP, are now finding they have to call a number to get help, when previously they could simply get it in their office.’