Man with an Israeli flag is arrested and dragged away by police ahead of pro-Palestinian protests set to erupt at the Sydney Opera house as Anthony Albanese issues a desperate plea

Dramatic footage has emerged of a man being arrested as police prepare for a night of intense protests following Hamas terror attacks in Israel.

The rally, organized by the Palestine Action Group in Sydney has gathered at the Town Hall in Sydney’s CBD at 5.30pm tonight, with those in attendance set to march to the Sydney Opera House at around 7pm.

The march will coincide with the state government’s decision to light up the landmark in blue and white – the colors of the Israeli flag – in support of Jewish community groups in NSW.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on pro-Palestinian protesters to abandon a rally in Sydney planned for Monday night.

But as the protesters arrived, a man clutching an Israeli flag was dragged by police into Town Hall.

The man can be heard repeatedly saying ‘I have done nothing wrong’.

Appearing on 2GB’s Drive with Chris O’Keefe, Mr.

“I think people really need to take a step back,” he said, speaking on 2GB’s Drive with Chris O’Keefe.

“What happened here is completely indefensible.

You can’t target civilians like what happened over the weekend where you had thousands in attendance at a music festival.

“The idea that you would have people who would start shooting basically indiscriminately at random, just trying to cause as much damage and bloodshed as possible, is just an atrocity that deserves everyone’s condemnation. “

However, Sydney-based Palestine Action Group organizer Josh Lees criticized both the state and federal governments for taking a “one-sided stance”.

“The media and the government are condemning the loss of civilian lives. And the Palestinian civilians. Why don’t their lives matter?’ he said.

Where is the punishment for the promises coming from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to target every corner of the Gaza Strip in the coming days.

The activist group condemned Israel for launching a “full-scale war against Palestine” and called on Australia to “sever ties with Israel”.

“It is the responsibility of everyone who stands for justice, freedom, against apartheid, colonialism and imperialism to stand up for Palestine,” says the description of the event.

“End Israeli Apartheid, Occupation, Siege of Gaza”.

As of 5pm on Monday, more than 250 people had said they would attend the rally.

A statement released by NSW Police confirmed officers ‘will have a presence at the protest’ and ‘will work with protesters to ensure there is no breach of the peace and minimal impact on the community’.

“The NSW Police Force is aware of the upcoming planned protest activity at Sydney Town Hall today (Monday, 9 October 2023) and will monitor the situation accordingly,” the statement said.

“The NSW Police Force recognizes and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the first priority for NSW Police is always the safety of the wider community.’

On Sunday evening, pro-Palestinian protesters gathered in the south-western Sydney suburb of Lakemba, where the Hamas attack was labeled a “day of pride” and a “day of victory”.

The demonstrations were criticized by Anthony Albanese, who condemned the people who supported the violence.

“There is no victory by slaughtering innocent people,” the Prime Minister told Sunrise on Monday.

Capturing people and returning them to Gaza represents an extraordinary act by Hamas. And Israel, of course, has the right to defend itself and will do so.’

Foreign Minister Penny Wong echoed Mr Albanese’s concerns and said “targeting civilians and taking hostages is never a cause for celebration”.

The planned protest will take place hours before the Sydney Opera House is lit up in blue and white at 7.30pm as an act of solidarity with Jewish communities across NSW.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the government was working to identify whether any Australians were involved in the attacks.

“We are deeply concerned about the horrific attack by Hamas on Israel and those abducted,” he said.

“We will continue to work to ensure we provide all possible support to those affected across our state and are monitoring the situation closely to find out if any NSW citizens currently living in, on holiday or pilgrimage to the Middle East is affected.”