Shadow Attorney-General Julian Leeser condemns decision to allow Sydney Harbour Bridge pro-Palestinian march

Sky News AU

2 days ago

Shadow Attorney-General Julian Leeser has condemned the decision to allow the Sydney Harbour Bridge to be shut down for a pro-Palestinian protest.
The Supreme Court on Saturday rejected a New South Wales Government application to deem the Palestinian Action Group's demonstration as unlawful.
Mr Leeser told Sky News he condemned the decision 'in the strongest possible terms'.
'I'm a member of parliament who represents Northern Sydney,' he said.
'The Sydney Harbour Bridge links our city and stops division occurring and allows constituents from my community and other communities to access the city.
'The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a symbol of the unity of the city, it should not be used for divisive protests of this sort that disrupt our city.
Mr Leeser said people had a right to protest, but it should be done in a peaceful way and in appropriate locations such as outside parliament.
'I always compare those people seeking to change the foreign policy in Gaza to those people seeking to change the foreign policy in Ukraine,' he said.
'The Ukrainian community, the Ukrainian diaspora is a wonderful, peaceful community.
'They hold concerts, they hold public meetings, everything is peaceful.
'There is never the call of the death to anyone, there is never the anger and the violence that you have seen at all too many of these protests.
'People should not be bringing international conflict to our streets.
'People have the right to call for a change to our foreign policy but to so do in a peaceful way that respects that there are a range of different views on these issues in this community is the way we should move forward.'
Organisers expert up to 50,000 people to attend the demonstration. The bridge will be closed in both directions between 11:30am and 4pm.