Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
Penrith Panthers players Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago attended the Pro-Palestine march in Sydney on Sunday, a day after playing in an NRL victory.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched across Sydney's Harbour Bridge in a massive demonstration that far exceeded the expected turn-out.
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About 90,000 people, including famous faces, braved the rain and descended on the iconic landmark with placards and flags in hand to call for an end to the war in Gaza after the Supreme Court rejected a last-minute application to block the protest on Saturday.
Panthers hooker Kenny and centre Tago both played in Penrith's 30-26 win over the Gold Coast Titans at CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
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Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X.
Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X.
The premiership-winning duo spent their Sunday at the rally in Sydney, organised by the Palestine Action Group, which was largely well-behaved despite police intervention over fears of a crowd rush.
Tago and Kenny were spotted in the thick of things in the march and were happy to pose for photos with fans and give them a wave.
Kenny wore a shirt that read 'Free Palestine', while Tago held a Palestine flag and wore a Palestine scarf around his head.
As the march made its way across the city, Tago was spotted climbing part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's steel structure.
The Panthers declined to comment when contacted by news.com.au.
Izack Tago (left) climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied.
Tago (above) climbed up the Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied.
The march was endorsed by hundreds of organisations and individuals, most notably: Amnesty International Australia, NSW Greens, Jewish Council of Australia, Arab Council Australia, Julian Assange, Bob Carr, Craig Foster and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association.
In Sydney, thousands of protesters started crossing the bridge about 2pm on Sunday, chanting 'free, free Palestine' and waving placards.
Some could also be heard chanting 'death, death to the IDF', a reference to the Israeli Defence Force.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore lent her support to the protesters saying: 'Discomfort from traffic can't be compared to what's happening in Gaza'.
Jewish Council of Australia Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz backed the protest saying the marchers were 'crying out for moral leadership'.
'It is a time for all of us, including those in positions of power, to do everything they can to halt an active genocide and stand with the people of Gaza.'
Pro Palestine protesters march towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw
'Almost catastrophic': Fears of crowd crush
At about 3pm, NSW Police issued an urgent request for protesters to stop marching on safety fears, citing a possible 'crush' at the northern end of the bridge.
'Participants have been asked to stop proceeding across the bridge to avoid a crowd crush at the northern end of the harbour bridge,' the police said in what they called a 'protest safety intervention'.
'Once the procession has come to a halt, protesters will be asked to turn around and walk back toward Wynyard to avoid a risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part.
'Police believe the safest route back is to walk back across the bridge given the huge numbers to avoid overwhelming the public transport system and a potential crowd crush scenario.'
The crowd started dispersing from the bridge about 3.30pm and traffic started crossing the bridge about 4.30pm.
People, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Craig Foster, march across the Harbour Bridge during a pro-Palestinian rally. (Photo by Lisa)
Penrith cop mega punishment for trainer act
Penrith's win over the Titans kept their dream of winning a fifth consecutive NRL premiership alive, with the victory putting them just one point behind the fourth placed Warriors on the ladder.
The Panthers were fined $50,000 and trainer Corey Bocking banned for five matches after he interfered with a Titans conversion attempt on the weekend.
The NRL confirmed the stunning penalty on Monday which came as a result of 'previous breaches by Penrith Panthers trainers'.
Bocking who ran directly across the path of Titans kicker Jayden Campbell, who was attempting a conversion in last weekend' match.
Campbell had to furiously compose himself and ultimately missed the conversion before Nathan Cleary sent the game into extra time with a long-range field goal.
The Panthers won the match thanks to a Blaize Talagi golden point try which cost the Titans two crucial points in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon.
Originally published as Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
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Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Penrith Panthers players Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago attended the Pro-Palestine march in Sydney on Sunday, a day after playing in an NRL victory. Tens of thousands of protesters marched across Sydney's Harbour Bridge in a massive demonstration that far exceeded the expected turn-out. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. About 90,000 people, including famous faces, braved the rain and descended on the iconic landmark with placards and flags in hand to call for an end to the war in Gaza after the Supreme Court rejected a last-minute application to block the protest on Saturday. Panthers hooker Kenny and centre Tago both played in Penrith's 30-26 win over the Gold Coast Titans at CBUS Super Stadium on the Gold Coast on Saturday. Get all the latest Australian news as it happens — download the app direct to your phone. Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X. Mitch Kenny and Izack Tago at the Pro-Palestine protest. Photo: X. The premiership-winning duo spent their Sunday at the rally in Sydney, organised by the Palestine Action Group, which was largely well-behaved despite police intervention over fears of a crowd rush. Tago and Kenny were spotted in the thick of things in the march and were happy to pose for photos with fans and give them a wave. Kenny wore a shirt that read 'Free Palestine', while Tago held a Palestine flag and wore a Palestine scarf around his head. As the march made its way across the city, Tago was spotted climbing part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's steel structure. The Panthers declined to comment when contacted by Izack Tago (left) climbs the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied. Tago (above) climbed up the Harbour Bridge. Photo: Supplied. The march was endorsed by hundreds of organisations and individuals, most notably: Amnesty International Australia, NSW Greens, Jewish Council of Australia, Arab Council Australia, Julian Assange, Bob Carr, Craig Foster and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. In Sydney, thousands of protesters started crossing the bridge about 2pm on Sunday, chanting 'free, free Palestine' and waving placards. Some could also be heard chanting 'death, death to the IDF', a reference to the Israeli Defence Force. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore lent her support to the protesters saying: 'Discomfort from traffic can't be compared to what's happening in Gaza'. Jewish Council of Australia Executive Officer Sarah Schwartz backed the protest saying the marchers were 'crying out for moral leadership'. 'It is a time for all of us, including those in positions of power, to do everything they can to halt an active genocide and stand with the people of Gaza.' Pro Palestine protesters march towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw 'Almost catastrophic': Fears of crowd crush At about 3pm, NSW Police issued an urgent request for protesters to stop marching on safety fears, citing a possible 'crush' at the northern end of the bridge. 'Participants have been asked to stop proceeding across the bridge to avoid a crowd crush at the northern end of the harbour bridge,' the police said in what they called a 'protest safety intervention'. 'Once the procession has come to a halt, protesters will be asked to turn around and walk back toward Wynyard to avoid a risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part. 'Police believe the safest route back is to walk back across the bridge given the huge numbers to avoid overwhelming the public transport system and a potential crowd crush scenario.' The crowd started dispersing from the bridge about 3.30pm and traffic started crossing the bridge about 4.30pm. People, including Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and Craig Foster, march across the Harbour Bridge during a pro-Palestinian rally. (Photo by Lisa) Penrith cop mega punishment for trainer act Penrith's win over the Titans kept their dream of winning a fifth consecutive NRL premiership alive, with the victory putting them just one point behind the fourth placed Warriors on the ladder. The Panthers were fined $50,000 and trainer Corey Bocking banned for five matches after he interfered with a Titans conversion attempt on the weekend. The NRL confirmed the stunning penalty on Monday which came as a result of 'previous breaches by Penrith Panthers trainers'. Bocking who ran directly across the path of Titans kicker Jayden Campbell, who was attempting a conversion in last weekend' match. Campbell had to furiously compose himself and ultimately missed the conversion before Nathan Cleary sent the game into extra time with a long-range field goal. The Panthers won the match thanks to a Blaize Talagi golden point try which cost the Titans two crucial points in their bid to avoid the wooden spoon. Originally published as Panthers players spotted at Sydney Pro-Palestine protest
