Updated ,first published
The NSW premier has defended the actions of police as footage of violent arrests emerges, and a state MP claims she was beaten by officers at Monday’s protest over the visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has called on Chris Minns to sack members of his own government who attended the rally if they broke the law.
The demonstration descended into chaos on Monday night after police charged at protesters who tried to march towards NSW Parliament despite the area falling under the public assembly restriction area. Police arrested 27 protesters.
Minns has conceded the actions of police at the rally, including an officer punching a man repeatedly, “don’t look good”, but defended the actions of police who were caught in “an impossible situation” trying to stop protesters from coming into contact with mourners gathered at the International Convention Centre for Herzog’s visit.
“We were hopeful for some kind of calm and responsibility. The truth of the matter is, we didn’t get that from many of the protesters last night,” Minns said.
“We’re going to have to settle for security – that is the responsibility of the NSW government and the police.”
Minns also defended the actions of police who were filmed aggressively dispersing Muslim men who were bowed in prayer.
“Context is important here, and the circumstances facing NSW Police were incredibly difficult,” he said. “It was, in effect, in the middle of a riot.”
Greens MP Abigail Boyd was in the throng when police began to forcefully move on protesters. She told ABC Radio National her body was left battered and sore after she was “beaten” by officers.
“I got pushed so hard my feet left the ground after I told them I was a member of parliament, then I got shoved so hard in my chin … which kind of whipped my neck back,” she said.
“I’m standing there, there’s hardly anyone around me, and they’ve just targeted me and attacked me. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. I can’t believe this is the country we live in – I’m actually still in shock.”
Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon accused speakers of inciting the crowd to march, and described the rally as an angry and violent mob. He also committed to reviewing the actions of the police.
“The police did what they needed to do, which was to hold the line and move the protesters back with a view to dispersing them,” he said.
Police gave protest organisers the option to hold a rally at Hyde Park and march along College Street. That offer was rejected.
Protesters instead intended to march to NSW Parliament, which is in the opposite direction to the ICC, where Herzog appeared on Monday night. However, the proposed route was covered under the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration made by the police, so it was rejected.
A number of Labor MPs joined the Greens MPs at the rally, including Dr Sarah Kaine, who addressed the crowd from Town Hall Square as tensions began to flare on George Street.
She told the crowd she was not there to represent the Labor leadership, but on behalf of rank-and-file members of the party who rejected Herzog’s visit.
One of the four Labor MPs at the protest, Cameron Murphy, said while he “accepts and understands the need for the Jewish community to grieve”, he felt compelled to attend the rally because he did not support the decision to invite Herzog.
“You could barely find someone more engaged in the genocide [in Gaza] than Herzog,” Murphy said.
The upper house MP said there was a “tiny minority of the crowd” that created unrest but “disturbing scenes from police”.
“It was a static gathering … but we were jammed into Town Hall Square,” Murphy said.
Another Labor MP at the protest, Anthony D’Adam, said the “formal part of the protest went without incident”.
“But police had no plan to disperse the crowd,” D’Adam said. “Most people wanted to disperse peacefully but because there were so many people, police lost control and used force, which was a red rag to a bull.”
D’Adam said “in hindsight, relocating the event might have helped” but police should have been given the discretion to adapt to the changing circumstances.
“What happened was a direct result of the government hemming in the police,” D’Adam said.
Speaking to 2GB radio, Sloane urged the premier to take action against Kaine and the other MPs if they had broken the law. She accused the MPs of whipping up a frenzy.
“The premier should hold his team members responsible, and if they have flouted those laws, he should sack those team members,” Sloane told 2GB.
“His own Labor caucus, who defied him, who defied the police and stood at the front of that rally. They are supposed to be lawmakers.”
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Jessica McSweeney is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald covering urban affairs and state politics.Connect via email.
