(BBC News) A planned pro-Palestinian protest across the Sydney Harbour Bridge has gone ahead after it was authorised by the Supreme Court just one day prior, in what organisers called a “historic” decision.
Tens of thousands turned out for the March for Humanity on Sunday despite torrential rain – with many carrying placards with messages to politicians to stop the war.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was spotted among the protesters, with other notable attendees including federal MP Ed Husic and former NSW Premier Bob Carr.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was last closed for a public assembly in 2023, when some 50,000 people marched over the iconic roadway for World Pride.
“Shame shame Israel, shame shame USA,” the crowds chanted. “What do we want? Ceasefire. When do we want it? Now.”
Lots of families, many with small babies, came out to support the peaceful demonstration. Alongside them, stationed across the bridge, were police officers from the riot squad.
“I know it’s the other side of the world but it affects us here massively as well,” says dad Alec Beville, who compares the children in Gaza to his three-year-old son Frankie. “We could be helping a lot more with aid.”
“Our government hasn’t put any decent sanctions on Israel,” says Zara Williams as she carries her baby, Avery, in a sling. “We [Australia] just can’t do nothing while there’s a forced starvation of an entire population.”
Two hours into the march, attendees received a text from NSW Police that read: “In consultation with the organisers, the march needs to stop due to public safety and await further instructions.”
It asked everyone on the bridge to stop walking north and turn back toward the city in a “controlled” way.
Police have not yet provided an estimate of the numbers attending the march.
Transport for NSW told motorists to avoid the city, warning of major delays and disruptions across Sydney’s road and public transport network due to the protest.
Sydney-based activist organisation Palestine Action Group lodged a notice of intention for the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge last Sunday, in response to what it called the “atrocity” in Gaza.
Police rejected the application on the grounds that there was not enough time to prepare a traffic management plan, and warned of a potential crowd crush and other safety concerns.
In a statement the following day, NSW Premier Chris Minns said they could not allow Sydney to “descend into chaos” and would not be able to support a protest of “this scale and nature” taking place on the bridge.
The police also made an application to the NSW Supreme Court for a prohibition order for the event, which was declined just 24 hours before the protest was due to go ahead.
According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Justice Belinda Rigg said safety concerns regarding the march were “well founded”, but march organiser Josh Lees from the Palestine Action Group had “compellingly” explained the reasons why he believed there needed to be an urgent response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
She said there was no evidence that a prohibition order would enhance public safety, and ordered the Sydney Harbour Bridge to be closed to vehicles, in addition to roads surrounding the proposed route.
The final-hour authorisation gives attendees protection under the Summary Offences Act, meaning they will not be charged for offences specifically relating to public assembly, such as blocking traffic.
In a statement published to Instagram, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said that it was “disappointed” by the Supreme Court’s decision to authorise the protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Australia has been under mounting pressure to recognise Palestinian statehood, after France, Canada and the UK all separately indicated that they would do so with conditions at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in September.
Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 programme, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he wants to see conditions met that achieve lasting security for Israel before Australia commits to recognition of a Palestinian state.
He added that he would not be pushed into the decision by other nations.
