The NSW Government has exercised special powers ahead of the president’s visit to Israel next week. Chris remembersprotesters warn police won’t allow “conflict on Sydney streets”.
But 13 state and federal NSW MPs have written to Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, urging him to work with protest organizers to facilitate a planned assembly and march from the town hall to state parliament.
Several MPs have indicated that they will join the protestors in the march. The group hit back at the premier, accusing him of trying to portray a peaceful protest as “inappropriate and illegal” by exercising special powers.
Isaac Herzog will arrive in Sydney on Monday and spend five days in Australia. He is expected to meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as well as Jewish leaders and victims. Terror attack on Bondi Beach and their families.
On Saturday, Mins said, the government announced that the President’s visit would be covered by the state’s “major event” law.
It will allow police to maintain crowd safety, maintain separation between different groups and put in place additional measures to “reduce the risk of confrontation in congested areas of the city,” the government said in a statement.
These arrangements are not a ban on protests or marches, it said [and] People have the right to legitimately express their opinions.”
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NSW Police have additional powers to direct people to go where necessary, close certain locations and issue orders to prevent disruption or danger to public safety.
Anyone who fails to comply with a police order can face penalties, including a fine of up to $5,500.
Protesters fear the extra powers could be used to effectively ban protests in the CBD and eastern suburbs during Herzog’s visit.
“The Palestinian Action Group proposed a rally through the streets from the town hall Sydney CBD,” NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said on Saturday.
“That way is unauthorized.”
Rallies were held in all state capitals ahead of Herzog’s five-day tour, with Sydney his first stop.
Speaking to the media on Saturday afternoon, Minns said NSW Police would have a “heavy presence” on Monday afternoon and urged people to avoid the CBD if they could.
“We hope that people can be calm and respectful during that presidential visit,” he said. “We can disagree without resorting to confrontations or violence on the streets of Sydney. In fact, that would be disastrous for everyone, regardless of your cause.”
NSW Police Minister, Yasmin Cotley, said Herzog was coming to offer condolences to the Australian Jewish community.
“We believe they did the right thing and I really urge the people of NSW to join that community and respect their time of grieving.”
Greens MP Sue Higginson, one of 13 MPs to sign an open letter to Lanyon, said people protesting on Monday would be acting “in line with our constitutional freedoms”.
“The main event declaration and the commentary from some parts of the NSW Police, trying to portray the protest as inconvenient and illegal, is misleading and dangerous and needs to be corrected,” she said.
“The Commissioner of Police has the power to ensure the safety of everyone attending the CBD on Monday, including the general public and people peacefully protesting the presence of the man who instigated the carnage.
“The best and safest thing the police can do is to facilitate the wishes of the public and enable a protest rally and march. Police here in NSW have a responsibility to ensure that legal rights are upheld and the right to protest is exercised safely.”
NSW Police said on Friday they were aware of plans to march on Town Hall, which falls under a controversial anti-protest ban brought in after the Bondi terror attack.
Under new laws brought in after the Bondi attack, marchers can be charged with certain offenses such as obstructing pedestrians and traffic.
