Town Hall Palestine protest: Why I waved an Israeli flag at Sydney rally

A church minister has recalled the terrifying moment he was chased away by an “angry mob” after he crashed a pro-Palestine rally and waved an Israeli flag.

Mark Leach had arrived at the rally, organized by Palestine Action Group Sydney, at Town Hall in the city’s CBD on Monday afternoon.

He had hidden the flag inside a tennis bag before taking it out and waving it at the side of the protest where angry pro-Palestinian activists had gathered.

Dramatic footage showed the moment Mr Leach, who was wearing a clerical collar, was confronted by a ‘small crowd’.

He left the stairs as pro-Palestinian chants could be heard in the background with a man shouting: “Get out of here.”

Mr Leach defended his actions by revealing that he was drawn to take drastic steps as he was the child of a ‘German Jewish mother who fled the Holocaust’.

Mark Leach had arrived at the rally, organized by the Palestine Action Group in Sydney, at Town Hall in the city’s CBD on Monday afternoon to show his support for Israel

Mr Leach, who donned a clerical collar, was then quickly tackled by a “small crowd of large, angry, slurring Muslims” who chased him down the steps of the Town Hall.

“I wanted to make a small stand against the genocidal hatred of Hamas that is supported by the pro-Palestinian crowd,” he wrote on social media platform X.

I wanted to show the Jews of Australia that Christians (who are after all just followers of a Jew) would stand up for them and for Israel in the face of such hatred and contempt.

“This afternoon I was driven from the steps of the Cathedral. I ran, followed by a small crowd of large angry Muslims who abused me.

I ran down George St and hid behind a police van. The police dispersed the group that was looking for me. I haven’t been this scared in a long time.’

Mr Leach said Australia was the ‘best country in the world’ but added that democracy and free speech were being ‘eroded’ by Monday’s protest.

“I took a little stand because we can’t, we shouldn’t give in to that kind of fear,” he said.

“We cannot fear shocking Islamic sensibilities and thus self-censor our speech, religion and police.”

He later admitted that the situation at Town Hall had been ‘very volatile’ and instead he moved to the Sydney Opera House to watch the sails light up in blue and white in support of Israel.

Mr Leach is seen confronting pro-Palestinian supporters after he appeared at the rally with an Israeli flag

A man in a high shirt shouted at Mr Leach to ‘get out of here’

“They (the police) tried to tell me that they could not guarantee my safety in this situation, although they would do their best,” he tweeted after leaving the protest.

Mr Leach is the father of New Liberal candidate Freya Leach, who was snapped throwing pro-Palestine pamphlets in the bin at Sydney University.

The photo was shared by the university’s student newspaper, Honi Soit.

“So much for speaking freely,” the caption read.

Ms Leach, who campaigned for the Balmain seat, hit back and defended her stance.

“If you want to defend the rape, kidnapping and murder of innocent Israeli citizens, I will proudly throw your pamphlets in the trash,” she tweeted.

Mr Leach is the father of new Liberal candidate Freya Leach, who was snapped throwing pro-Palestine pamphlets in the bin at Sydney University.