Major city on high alert ahead of ‘grossly insensitive’ act

Authorities are on high alert with two pro-Palestine events that will mark the one-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel.

Hamas terrorists invaded the Jewish state and massacred 1,200 Israelis last year. Pro-Palestinian protesters have planned a vigil in front of Sydney City Hall and a rally at the Lakemba Mosque on Monday to mark the day, despite condemnation from elected officials and Jewish community groups.

NSW Premier Chris Minns has called Monday’s protests ‘grossly insensitive’.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate, that’s my personal opinion,” he said.

“To hold a protest or rally on a day when people on the other side of the world have been slaughtered is, in my opinion, completely insensitive.”

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb, meanwhile, said police would attend both events and was concerned the protests could grow into something bigger.

“We can’t rule that out – we would always be concerned that there would be intruders, and that people would come in for the wrong reason,” she said.

Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna, speaking before Sunday’s massive pro-Palestinian rallies across the country, said police would arrest protesters who break the law.

“If we see that there are public safety issues, if people want to commit a criminal offense or commit significant anti-social behavior … we will not tolerate that (and) we will not hesitate to take action,” he said.

It is illegal in Australia to display symbols associated with a terrorist organization or to display Nazi symbols such as the swastika.

Palestinian gatherings are under increasing scrutiny after flags of the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah and framed photos of slain leader Hassan Nasrallah appeared at gatherings last weekend.

Palestine Action Group Sydney has asked supporters to refrain from displaying terrorist symbols, but only as a tactical move to prevent police from shutting down gatherings.

“We urge meeting participants not to bring any flags, symbols or printed images that could be considered illegal due to their association with proscribed terrorist groups under Australian law,” the group said on Sunday.

“We do not agree with these laws or the way they are enforced and we have pointed out the hypocritical way in which this issue has been discussed by politicians and media busy supporting the terrorist state of Israel.

Pro-Palestinian protesters have planned a vigil in front of Sydney City Hall and a rally at the Lakemba Mosque on Monday to mark the day.

“But we don’t want people to potentially get into serious legal trouble, or give police any reason to make arrests at the rally, or prevent us from holding future protests. Please help the protest organizers and marshals by not taking these items.”

Mr Minns also said police would act on any defamation of the Jewish community.

“We cannot allow a situation where tolerant anti-Semitism creeps into the public dialogue because some group in our community believes that kind of racism is okay. It’s not okay,” he said.

“I want to make it clear that if there are any violations of protests, public sermons and speeches this weekend, they will be met with very strict laws in Australia and in NSW regarding hate speech.”