Pro-Palestine events due to take place in New South Wales on the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel have drawn criticism from politicians and Jewish leaders.
The demonstrations have been organised at Sydney Town Hall in the CBD and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong for Wednesday by two separate groups.
The organisation Jews Against The Occupation ’48 said on social media that it would host a vigil in Sydney marking Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, artist Anke Klevjer, a member of Wollongong Friends of Palestine, told The Daily Telegraph that the group’s event would be ‘stationary and peaceful’.
The action has been criticised by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, who accused organisers of deliberately creating division.
‘If you want to protest, do it on any other day,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘These people have no shame. They’ve created this theatre for themselves… Australians aren’t into that.
‘We want to have a calm, peaceful society where we can focus on what’s truly important and people can spot those that seek to divide us and destroy what we have here which is truly great.’
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin (pictured) criticised plans to hold pro-Palestine vigils on the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel
The vigils are scheduled to take place at Sydney Town Hall in the CBD and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong on Wednesday. Pictured is a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney in October 2024
NSW Premier Chris Minns described holding vigils on the anniversary as ‘obscene’
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane described the choice of date as ‘deliberate’ and ‘cruel’, calling on Premier Chris Minns to intervene.
‘October 7 marks the worst slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust,’ she said.
‘Families here in Sydney are still grieving and, after Bondi, that grief is close to home. Anyone should be able to mourn innocent lives lost in Gaza, but there are 364 other days to do it.
‘Choosing this date was deliberate. It’s provocative, it’s cruel, and the organisers should change it.
‘The premier agrees this vigil is wrong. But saying ‘it’s difficult’ isn’t a plan. He should be asking the organisers directly to move the date.
‘He should tell the community what police advice he’s received and what options he’s considered.’
The Daily Mail contacted Minns’ office and the two organisations for comment.
Last week, the Premier described holding vigils on the anniversary of a ‘horrible and violent’ event as ‘obscene’ while speaking to reporters.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called on Minns to ask organisers to change the date
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‘To choose that day, I think it’s designed to antagonise large sections of our community,’ Minns said.
‘I’m obviously distressed on their behalf.’
NSW Police Force told the Daily Mail they are aware of two planned public assemblies in Sydney’s CBD and Wollongong’s CBD on Wednesday.
However, only officers from the Wollongong Police District have received forms requesting authorisation to hold a public assembly.
Sydney City Police Area Command had not received any forms from organisers by Tuesday afternoon.
NSW Police said it ‘recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly’.
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, a ‘sit-in vigil’ is scheduled to take place outside the State Library of Victoria from 10am to 5pm.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has warned police would step in to ‘protect the public’ if organisers or protesters breached the state’s anti-vilification laws.
