Perhaps up to 100,000 people will join the Palestine Action Group’s march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge tomorrow (Sunday) now that the NSW Supreme Court has declined a police request to block it. The police were concerned that such a large crowd would not fiut in Lang Park the proposed gathering point for the march. It’s tiny.
But we might have had two protests with the pro Jewish group Never Again is Now suggesting a counter protest in the harbour tunnel, presumeably at the same time. Both at once would have made things more diffiocult for anyone crossing the harbour.
The Never Again is now Protest was about the hostages held by Hamas, most likely in tunnels in Gaza. The Palestine Action Group is protesting the Israeli Government’s activity in Gaza withbthe claim of mass starvation.
However, Mark Leach of Never Again reports they have withdrawn their application to hold their rally.
“After discussions with the NSW Police we have withdrawn our Form 1 application to stage a protest in the Harbour Tunnel. We respect everyone’s right to free speech and to protest, however we believe that closing down major road infrastructure would disrespect the community of Sydney. We hope that the group planning to close down the Harbour Bridge on Sunday will follow our example and respect the rights of Sydneysiders to use their major roads unhindered by the actions of a tiny disruptive minority. We thank the NSW Police for their support. Our vision is an Australia free of division and hatred, where our Jewish community is safe and free, as are all minorities.”
The issue of disruption would seem to apply to both a Tunnel protest as well as a Harbour Bridge protest. Perhaps the Never Again Is Now aplication was merely theatrical – that they always intended to withdraw their application. Who knows? But the right to protest surely applies to both groups. And some of us think both groups have something to protest about.
Image: a map released by the IDF shows the population of Gaza sqeezed against the coast.