Protesters pledge Bridge defiance as court battle looms
Tens of thousands of people were expected to join the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday opposing Israel's war on Gaza, before police confirmed they would not permit it and would take court action to categorise it as unlawful and unauthorised.
Undeterred protesters, including organising group Palestine Action Group Sydney, have continued promoting the demonstration ahead of a legal challenge later this week.
They have been backed by an open letter signed by 55 entities, including protest and civil liberties groups, unions, social action bodies and political factions, calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns to reverse his opposition to the march.
"Seeking to shut down this rally would be a serious departure from the NSW state and police's responsibility to uphold the democratic right of protest," the letter read.
"We urge your government to facilitate the exercise of democratic freedoms in collaboration with community groups and support the holding of this protest."
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Australia, the Jewish Council of Australia and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties are among the 55 signatories.
Palestine Action Group leaders posted on Facebook on Wednesday night confirming they've received court summons, with a hearing likely for Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to block public roads and infrastructure, but police can go to court to deny permission.
The protest group vowed to protest regardless of the court outcome, ending their post with "whatever happens, see you on Sunday".
The group's spokesman Josh Lees had accused Mr Minns of interfering in police operations, after the premier spoke out against the protest saying he "cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos".
Mr Lees said the group had lodged the application on Saturday in compliance with the required one-week notice for a demonstration.
The action group had said more than 50,000 people were expected to attend the protest.
The number of Palestinians believed to have been killed during the war in Gaza is nearing 60,000, according to local health authorities, while dozens of people are reported to have died in recent days due to starvation.
Israel's military campaign began after Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation in Australia, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages.
The bridge has previously been shut for separate demonstrations, including the march for reconciliation in 2000 which attracted more than 250,000 people and a film production.
Police and pro-Palestine protesters are heading for a court showdown, as an open letter calls for a state government to facilitate a demonstration across an iconic Australian landmark.
Tens of thousands of people were expected to join the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday opposing Israel's war on Gaza, before police confirmed they would not permit it and would take court action to categorise it as unlawful and unauthorised.
Undeterred protesters, including organising group Palestine Action Group Sydney, have continued promoting the demonstration ahead of a legal challenge later this week.
They have been backed by an open letter signed by 55 entities, including protest and civil liberties groups, unions, social action bodies and political factions, calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns to reverse his opposition to the march.
"Seeking to shut down this rally would be a serious departure from the NSW state and police's responsibility to uphold the democratic right of protest," the letter read.
"We urge your government to facilitate the exercise of democratic freedoms in collaboration with community groups and support the holding of this protest."
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Australia, the Jewish Council of Australia and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties are among the 55 signatories.
Palestine Action Group leaders posted on Facebook on Wednesday night confirming they've received court summons, with a hearing likely for Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to block public roads and infrastructure, but police can go to court to deny permission.
The protest group vowed to protest regardless of the court outcome, ending their post with "whatever happens, see you on Sunday".
The group's spokesman Josh Lees had accused Mr Minns of interfering in police operations, after the premier spoke out against the protest saying he "cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos".
Mr Lees said the group had lodged the application on Saturday in compliance with the required one-week notice for a demonstration.
The action group had said more than 50,000 people were expected to attend the protest.
The number of Palestinians believed to have been killed during the war in Gaza is nearing 60,000, according to local health authorities, while dozens of people are reported to have died in recent days due to starvation.
Israel's military campaign began after Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation in Australia, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages.
The bridge has previously been shut for separate demonstrations, including the march for reconciliation in 2000 which attracted more than 250,000 people and a film production.
Police and pro-Palestine protesters are heading for a court showdown, as an open letter calls for a state government to facilitate a demonstration across an iconic Australian landmark.
Tens of thousands of people were expected to join the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday opposing Israel's war on Gaza, before police confirmed they would not permit it and would take court action to categorise it as unlawful and unauthorised.
Undeterred protesters, including organising group Palestine Action Group Sydney, have continued promoting the demonstration ahead of a legal challenge later this week.
They have been backed by an open letter signed by 55 entities, including protest and civil liberties groups, unions, social action bodies and political factions, calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns to reverse his opposition to the march.
"Seeking to shut down this rally would be a serious departure from the NSW state and police's responsibility to uphold the democratic right of protest," the letter read.
"We urge your government to facilitate the exercise of democratic freedoms in collaboration with community groups and support the holding of this protest."
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Australia, the Jewish Council of Australia and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties are among the 55 signatories.
Palestine Action Group leaders posted on Facebook on Wednesday night confirming they've received court summons, with a hearing likely for Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to block public roads and infrastructure, but police can go to court to deny permission.
The protest group vowed to protest regardless of the court outcome, ending their post with "whatever happens, see you on Sunday".
The group's spokesman Josh Lees had accused Mr Minns of interfering in police operations, after the premier spoke out against the protest saying he "cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos".
Mr Lees said the group had lodged the application on Saturday in compliance with the required one-week notice for a demonstration.
The action group had said more than 50,000 people were expected to attend the protest.
The number of Palestinians believed to have been killed during the war in Gaza is nearing 60,000, according to local health authorities, while dozens of people are reported to have died in recent days due to starvation.
Israel's military campaign began after Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation in Australia, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages.
The bridge has previously been shut for separate demonstrations, including the march for reconciliation in 2000 which attracted more than 250,000 people and a film production.
Police and pro-Palestine protesters are heading for a court showdown, as an open letter calls for a state government to facilitate a demonstration across an iconic Australian landmark.
Tens of thousands of people were expected to join the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday opposing Israel's war on Gaza, before police confirmed they would not permit it and would take court action to categorise it as unlawful and unauthorised.
Undeterred protesters, including organising group Palestine Action Group Sydney, have continued promoting the demonstration ahead of a legal challenge later this week.
They have been backed by an open letter signed by 55 entities, including protest and civil liberties groups, unions, social action bodies and political factions, calling on NSW Premier Chris Minns to reverse his opposition to the march.
"Seeking to shut down this rally would be a serious departure from the NSW state and police's responsibility to uphold the democratic right of protest," the letter read.
"We urge your government to facilitate the exercise of democratic freedoms in collaboration with community groups and support the holding of this protest."
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Australia, the Jewish Council of Australia and the NSW Council for Civil Liberties are among the 55 signatories.
Palestine Action Group leaders posted on Facebook on Wednesday night confirming they've received court summons, with a hearing likely for Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to block public roads and infrastructure, but police can go to court to deny permission.
The protest group vowed to protest regardless of the court outcome, ending their post with "whatever happens, see you on Sunday".
The group's spokesman Josh Lees had accused Mr Minns of interfering in police operations, after the premier spoke out against the protest saying he "cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos".
Mr Lees said the group had lodged the application on Saturday in compliance with the required one-week notice for a demonstration.
The action group had said more than 50,000 people were expected to attend the protest.
The number of Palestinians believed to have been killed during the war in Gaza is nearing 60,000, according to local health authorities, while dozens of people are reported to have died in recent days due to starvation.
Israel's military campaign began after Hamas, a designated terrorist organisation in Australia, attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking 251 hostages.
The bridge has previously been shut for separate demonstrations, including the march for reconciliation in 2000 which attracted more than 250,000 people and a film production.
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Australian National University academic Anton Moiseienko, a specialist in financial crimes and sanctions, said it was a political minefield for governments to balance limiting Russia's oil money-maker while avoiding overall price increases. "If prices rose, then Russia could sell less and make more money," he said. Director of the University of Queensland's Gas and Energy Transition Research Centre David Close said voters support embargoes and sanctions to a point but they don't want the global economy to crater. Australian motorists could be inadvertently fuelling Russia's war on Ukraine after a loophole allowed tankers believed to be carrying Russian oil to arrive in the country. Alarm bells sounded in July when Seferis, a 250-metre ship sailing under a Greek flag, docked at a BP terminal in Kwinana, south of Perth, after departing from India. Activists claim it was laden with fuel derived from Russian crude oil that was processed in India but the oil giant maintains the load was fully compliant with Australian rules. Australia has imposed more than 1500 sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including measures to restrict the import, purchase and transport of the nation's oil. Other nations including India, however, have resisted punishing Vladimir Putin's regime. Australia has imported billions of dollars in Russian crude oil laundered through Indian refineries, Ukrainian activists say. The issue was first raised in parliament in July when independent MP Andrew Wilkie queried Defence Minister Richard Marles on why "our loopholes are so big you can drive a tanker through them". He said about 90,000 tonnes of petrol that also docked in Sydney in July from India's Jamnagar refinery were largely Russian-sourced. Although the oil is made in the refinery, Jamnagar uses up to 55 per cent of Russian oil in the process, Mr Wilkie said. Independent WA senator Fatima Payman on Thursday raised claims three tankers containing tainted Russian oil are sitting on WA's docks, unable to ship to Europe because of a crackdown on sanction evasion. The federal government in June announced sanctions against Russia's "shadow fleet", imposing a $60 price cap per barrel to restrict the import of Russian crude oil. It also enables authorities to prevent these vessels entering Australian waters. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government was looking at ways to further deal with imports from third countries. "Regrettably, the mechanisms we would need to track and monitor all energy products via third countries are not in place in those countries," she said. "You're asking me to make an assurance about Indian refinery revenue. We are not the government that has responsibility for what occurs in the refineries." The foreign minister said Australians expect businesses to try to avoid their supply chains inadvertently funding Russia's invasion, signalling further pressure on Russian oil revenues. Ukrainian Association of WA activist Roma Popadynec, whose relatives have been caught up in the conflict, said Australia needs to close these loopholes, fearing they funded Kremlin's war efforts. Australian National University academic Anton Moiseienko, a specialist in financial crimes and sanctions, said it was a political minefield for governments to balance limiting Russia's oil money-maker while avoiding overall price increases. "If prices rose, then Russia could sell less and make more money," he said. Director of the University of Queensland's Gas and Energy Transition Research Centre David Close said voters support embargoes and sanctions to a point but they don't want the global economy to crater.
