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Pro-Palestine university encampments were just about ‘hatred' of Jews

Pro-Palestine university encampments were just about ‘hatred' of Jews

Sky News AU14-05-2025
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graduate Talia Khan slams the pro-Palestine protests on university campuses for their lack of 'goodwill'.
The October 8 documentary aims to raise awareness of the growing antisemitism around the world.
Ms Khan told Sky News host Chris Kenny that the university encampments were not about having a 'debate' on policy issues.
'It was just about hatred and promotion of terror.'
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Pro-Palestinian protesters will march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge after a court authorised a rally, as police scramble to ensure they have the resources to monitor the event. Thousands of protesters are expected at the demonstration to highlight what the United Nations has described as "worsening famine conditions" in Gaza. NSW Police on Saturday urged all protesters to act peacefully and respectfully, warning the rally would be watched closely. Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected a police application to shut down the Sunday march on public safety grounds. Organised by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney, the protest has garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. Justice Rigg in her judgment said arguments the rally would cause disruption on the bridge were not sufficient to bar the protest. "It is in the very nature of the entitlement to peaceful protest that disruption will be caused to others," she said. She noted there was significant support for the march from hundreds of organisations including Amnesty International, various churches, the Jewish Council of Australia, the nurses and midwives association and other trade unions. The decision means protesters will have legal immunity and protections from offences like blocking or obstructing traffic or pedestrians. Police were "scrambling" to alert road users that the bridge would be closed for the protest but would have the "whole gamut" of officers there to monitor the demonstration, acting deputy commissioner Peter Mckenna said. "We are there to keep everyone safe ... we will have police right along the route, and we'll be making sure this is done as safely and peacefully as possible," he told reporters on Saturday. "Anyone who thinks they're going to come along and hijack this protest or do the wrong thing, police will take swift action." Mr Mckenna said his concerns about public safety had not changed and he urged people to avoid the city as there would be disruptions. "We will call upon these organisers to really speak to the people coming in to this protest to ensure they do listen to us, that they work with us so we can do our very, very best to make sure people are kept safe," he said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described the court decision as a win for humanity and a defeat for the "anti-protest Minns Labor government". "The court was crystal clear that a protest being inconvenient does not mean it can be stopped. In fact, that's the whole point of the protest," she said. Protesters are expected to march from the CBD to North Sydney, with the bridge closed from 11.30am to about 4pm. 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Pro-Palestinian protesters will march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge after a court authorised a rally, as police scramble to ensure they have the resources to monitor the event. Thousands of protesters are expected at the demonstration to highlight what the United Nations has described as "worsening famine conditions" in Gaza. NSW Police on Saturday urged all protesters to act peacefully and respectfully, warning the rally would be watched closely. Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected a police application to shut down the Sunday march on public safety grounds. Organised by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney, the protest has garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. Justice Rigg in her judgment said arguments the rally would cause disruption on the bridge were not sufficient to bar the protest. "It is in the very nature of the entitlement to peaceful protest that disruption will be caused to others," she said. She noted there was significant support for the march from hundreds of organisations including Amnesty International, various churches, the Jewish Council of Australia, the nurses and midwives association and other trade unions. The decision means protesters will have legal immunity and protections from offences like blocking or obstructing traffic or pedestrians. Police were "scrambling" to alert road users that the bridge would be closed for the protest but would have the "whole gamut" of officers there to monitor the demonstration, acting deputy commissioner Peter Mckenna said. "We are there to keep everyone safe ... we will have police right along the route, and we'll be making sure this is done as safely and peacefully as possible," he told reporters on Saturday. "Anyone who thinks they're going to come along and hijack this protest or do the wrong thing, police will take swift action." Mr Mckenna said his concerns about public safety had not changed and he urged people to avoid the city as there would be disruptions. "We will call upon these organisers to really speak to the people coming in to this protest to ensure they do listen to us, that they work with us so we can do our very, very best to make sure people are kept safe," he said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described the court decision as a win for humanity and a defeat for the "anti-protest Minns Labor government". "The court was crystal clear that a protest being inconvenient does not mean it can be stopped. In fact, that's the whole point of the protest," she said. Protesters are expected to march from the CBD to North Sydney, with the bridge closed from 11.30am to about 4pm. In solidarity with their interstate peers, protesters in Melbourne are also gearing up to rally through the city's CBD, aiming to reach the King Street Bridge. Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of Australians want tougher government measures to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a poll has found. Respondents to the YouGov survey published on Friday and commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Peace and Human Rights believe Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnations of Israel have fallen short. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages. Pro-Palestinian protesters will march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge after a court authorised a rally, as police scramble to ensure they have the resources to monitor the event. Thousands of protesters are expected at the demonstration to highlight what the United Nations has described as "worsening famine conditions" in Gaza. NSW Police on Saturday urged all protesters to act peacefully and respectfully, warning the rally would be watched closely. Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected a police application to shut down the Sunday march on public safety grounds. Organised by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney, the protest has garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. Justice Rigg in her judgment said arguments the rally would cause disruption on the bridge were not sufficient to bar the protest. "It is in the very nature of the entitlement to peaceful protest that disruption will be caused to others," she said. She noted there was significant support for the march from hundreds of organisations including Amnesty International, various churches, the Jewish Council of Australia, the nurses and midwives association and other trade unions. The decision means protesters will have legal immunity and protections from offences like blocking or obstructing traffic or pedestrians. Police were "scrambling" to alert road users that the bridge would be closed for the protest but would have the "whole gamut" of officers there to monitor the demonstration, acting deputy commissioner Peter Mckenna said. "We are there to keep everyone safe ... we will have police right along the route, and we'll be making sure this is done as safely and peacefully as possible," he told reporters on Saturday. "Anyone who thinks they're going to come along and hijack this protest or do the wrong thing, police will take swift action." Mr Mckenna said his concerns about public safety had not changed and he urged people to avoid the city as there would be disruptions. "We will call upon these organisers to really speak to the people coming in to this protest to ensure they do listen to us, that they work with us so we can do our very, very best to make sure people are kept safe," he said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described the court decision as a win for humanity and a defeat for the "anti-protest Minns Labor government". "The court was crystal clear that a protest being inconvenient does not mean it can be stopped. In fact, that's the whole point of the protest," she said. Protesters are expected to march from the CBD to North Sydney, with the bridge closed from 11.30am to about 4pm. In solidarity with their interstate peers, protesters in Melbourne are also gearing up to rally through the city's CBD, aiming to reach the King Street Bridge. Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of Australians want tougher government measures to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a poll has found. Respondents to the YouGov survey published on Friday and commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Peace and Human Rights believe Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnations of Israel have fallen short. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages. Pro-Palestinian protesters will march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge after a court authorised a rally, as police scramble to ensure they have the resources to monitor the event. Thousands of protesters are expected at the demonstration to highlight what the United Nations has described as "worsening famine conditions" in Gaza. NSW Police on Saturday urged all protesters to act peacefully and respectfully, warning the rally would be watched closely. Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected a police application to shut down the Sunday march on public safety grounds. Organised by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney, the protest has garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. Justice Rigg in her judgment said arguments the rally would cause disruption on the bridge were not sufficient to bar the protest. "It is in the very nature of the entitlement to peaceful protest that disruption will be caused to others," she said. She noted there was significant support for the march from hundreds of organisations including Amnesty International, various churches, the Jewish Council of Australia, the nurses and midwives association and other trade unions. The decision means protesters will have legal immunity and protections from offences like blocking or obstructing traffic or pedestrians. Police were "scrambling" to alert road users that the bridge would be closed for the protest but would have the "whole gamut" of officers there to monitor the demonstration, acting deputy commissioner Peter Mckenna said. "We are there to keep everyone safe ... we will have police right along the route, and we'll be making sure this is done as safely and peacefully as possible," he told reporters on Saturday. "Anyone who thinks they're going to come along and hijack this protest or do the wrong thing, police will take swift action." Mr Mckenna said his concerns about public safety had not changed and he urged people to avoid the city as there would be disruptions. "We will call upon these organisers to really speak to the people coming in to this protest to ensure they do listen to us, that they work with us so we can do our very, very best to make sure people are kept safe," he said. Greens MP Sue Higginson described the court decision as a win for humanity and a defeat for the "anti-protest Minns Labor government". "The court was crystal clear that a protest being inconvenient does not mean it can be stopped. In fact, that's the whole point of the protest," she said. Protesters are expected to march from the CBD to North Sydney, with the bridge closed from 11.30am to about 4pm. In solidarity with their interstate peers, protesters in Melbourne are also gearing up to rally through the city's CBD, aiming to reach the King Street Bridge. Meanwhile, more than 60 per cent of Australians want tougher government measures to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a poll has found. Respondents to the YouGov survey published on Friday and commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Peace and Human Rights believe Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnations of Israel have fallen short. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages.

Tony Abbott says Australia is on a ‘slippery slope' after court backs Palestine protest on Harbour Bridge
Tony Abbott says Australia is on a ‘slippery slope' after court backs Palestine protest on Harbour Bridge

Sky News AU

timean hour ago

  • Sky News AU

Tony Abbott says Australia is on a ‘slippery slope' after court backs Palestine protest on Harbour Bridge

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has launched a scathing attack on the New South Wales Supreme Court after it ruled in favour of a mass pro-Palestine march set to take place across the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday. Posting to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Abbott said: 'It should not be for judges to decide when a political protest is justified. The decision to close the Sydney Harbour Bridge to facilitate this protest is a political decision and should be made by elected and accountable ministers - who as it happens, think the march should not go ahead,' he posted. 'We are on a slippery slope when unelected judges start making political judgments.' The march, which organisers say could draw as many as 50,000 people, will now proceed with legal protections after a Supreme Court ruling found it met the threshold to be considered an 'authorised' assembly under NSW law. Justice Belinda Rigg handed down the decision on Friday, saying there was a clear public interest in allowing the protest to proceed. 'The march at this location is motivated by the belief that the horror and urgency of the situation in Gaza demands an urgent and extraordinary response from the people of the world.' She added: 'The evidence indicates there is significant support for the march,' she said in her judgement. Police had previously rejected the application for the march, citing a lack of preparation time and safety risks, including the possibility of a crowd crush and major traffic gridlock. But the court found that public inconvenience alone wasn't a valid reason to shut down the demonstration, with Rigg stating: 'If matters such as this were to be determinative, no assembly involving inconvenience would be permitted.' The court's ruling grants demonstrator's protection from being charged under the Summary Offences Act, including for obstructing traffic. However, police will still have powers to address any illegal behaviour on the day. Protesters will be expected to comply with directions, and police can still act against antisocial conduct, violence, or the display of prohibited symbols. Justice Rigg said the demonstration was likely to cause disruption but emphasised that peaceful protest in response to global humanitarian crises carries high democratic value. She rejected suggestions her decision would enable violence or hinder emergency services, stating it 'does not condone any antisocial behaviour or violence at the demonstration or ambulances not getting to hospital on time'. Police Minister Yasmin Catley confirmed the government accepted the court's decision and urged the public to avoid the CBD during the protest. 'Police, we believe, will be able to handle the protest on the bridge tomorrow, so long as people are peaceful, that they listen to what the police ask them to do,' she said. 'But make no mistake, there is going to be massive, massive disruption. So our message is, avoid the city if you can.' The ruling has sparked political backlash, with NSW Premier Chris Minns previously voicing his opposition to the event and warning against allowing the city to 'descend into chaos'. Despite this, at least five Labor MPs, Stephen Lawrence, Sarah Kaine, Anthony D'Adam, Lynda Voltz, and Cameron Murphy, signed an open letter on Thursday night calling on the government to support 'a safe and orderly event' on Sunday. Palestine Action Group, which is organising the march, had already made it clear the protest would go ahead regardless of the court's decision. A separate counter-protest, organised by the Christian group Never Again is Now, was denied legal protections due to its late application. The group had planned to rally near the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Justice Rigg ruled that police would retain the power to move the group on, or arrest participants if necessary. There is no explicit right to protest in NSW law, but the High Court has recognised an implied right to freedom of political communication under the Australian Constitution. This ruling means that protests cannot be banned outright, even when disruptive, provided organisers follow the legal process. Sunday's march will proceed with traffic and transport disruptions expected across the city. Police have urged participants to follow instructions closely, and the Human Rights Law Centre has reminded protesters that authorisation does not give them licence to act unlawfully.

Sydney Harbour Bridge rally to go ahead after court win for Palestine supporters
Sydney Harbour Bridge rally to go ahead after court win for Palestine supporters

7NEWS

time4 hours ago

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Sydney Harbour Bridge rally to go ahead after court win for Palestine supporters

A pro-Palestinian rally across the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been authorised by a court with thousands of protesters likely to gather. NSW Supreme Court Justice Belinda Rigg rejected a police application to prohibit Sunday's planned rally due to public safety risks. Thousands of anticipated protesters are expected at the demonstration to highlight what the United Nations has described as 'worsening famine conditions' in Gaza. Organised by the Palestinian Action Group Sydney, the protest has garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. Arguments were presented to the court on Friday with Justice Rigg choosing to reserve her decision until Saturday morning. In her judgment, she refused the police commissioner's application, saying arguments the rally would cause disruption on the bridge were not sufficient reason to bar the protest. 'It is in the nature of peaceful protests to cause disruption to others,' she said. In solidarity with their interstate peers, protesters in Melbourne are gearing up to rally through the city's CBD, aiming to reach the King Street Bridge. A last-minute application on Friday was also lodged with police by a pro-Israel fringe group for a counter-protest in the tunnel under Sydney Harbour, the court heard. Police confirmed to AAP the group withdrew the application soon after. Meanhile, more than 60 per cent of Australians want tougher government measures to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a poll has found. Respondents to the YouGov survey published on Friday and commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Peace and Human Rights believed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnations of Israel had fallen short. 'While the government has recently signed a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, 61 per cent of Australians believe this is not enough,' the alliance said. '(Australians) want to see concrete economic, diplomatic and legal measures implemented.' The alliance called for economic sanctions and the end of any arms trade with Israel, which the federal government has repeatedly said it has not engaged in directly. The poll surveyed 1507 Australian voters in the last week of July, coinciding with a deteriorating starvation crisis and while diplomatic efforts from countries such as Canada have ramped up. Some 42 per cent of polled coalition voters supported stronger measures and more than two thirds of Labor voters, 68 per cent, are pushing their party to be bolder in placing pressure on Israel. An overwhelming number of Greens voters (91 per cent) wanted a more robust suite of measures as did 77 per cent of independent voters. The results highlighted how the nearly two-year long war on Gaza had resonated with Australians, YouGov director of public data Paul Smith said. 'This poll shows there's clearly across the board support for the Australian government to be doing much more in response to the situation in Gaza,' he told AAP. 'Sixty-one per cent shows the depth of feeling Australians have towards this issue.' More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages.

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