Australian Prime Minister Urges Cancellation of Pro-Palestinian Rally Amid Tensions

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for the cancellation of a planned pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney, set for October 7, marking the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s attacks on Israel and the ensuing conflict in Gaza, Al Jazeera reports. Albanese described the proposed vigil as “incredibly provocative” and a potential source of distress.

In an interview with Australia’s national broadcaster, Albanese stressed the importance of peaceful expression within a democracy but highlighted the sensitivity of the date.

“October 7 will mark one year since the largest number of deaths and murders of Jewish people since the Holocaust,” he said. “Anything perceived as a celebration of that day would be detrimental.”

The Prime Minister’s appeal coincided with efforts by New South Wales Police to have the event legally prohibited. The police have approached the state’s top court to officially ban the candlelight vigil, which organizers have described as “mourning 12 months of genocide and terrorism.” Another rally scheduled for October 6 is also under scrutiny.

The NSW Police expressed support for peaceful assembly but voiced concerns over the safety of the protest, contending that it could not proceed securely. In response, the organizing body, Palestine Action Group, condemned the attempt to ban the demonstrations, arguing it infringes on fundamental democratic rights.

“We have a right to demonstrate and refuse to be deterred by political attempts to distract from the Australian government’s stance on what we see as complicity in genocide,” the group asserted in a Facebook post.

They further criticized Australia’s position amidst escalating tensions between Israel and Lebanon.

The attempt to ban these rallies follows recent controversies over the display of symbols associated with Lebanon’s Hezbollah during pro-Palestinian protests in Melbourne and Sydney. Australia’s center-left Labor Party government had earlier this year passed legislation prohibiting Nazi motifs and symbols linked to designated “terrorist organizations,” including Hezbollah and Hamas.

Adding to the tension, NSW Police arrested a 19-year-old woman in Sydney on Sunday for allegedly carrying a Hezbollah flag at a pro-Palestinian march.