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Chris Minns has said he is “concerned” about upcoming pro-Palestine protests amid alleged anti-Semitic acts recorded across Sydney.
The NSW Premier said that although there was still a right to protest in NSW, “everyone has the right to be free from racial slurs, incitement to violence, actual violence or racism on the streets”.
An unauthorized protest planned for Sunday will still go ahead despite efforts by NSW Police to shut it down after anti-Semitic slogans were raised at a similar protest on Monday night.
“Obviously, I’m concerned about the Assembly meeting on Sunday,” Mr Minns told the media on Friday.
“I’m hoping that this happens peacefully and I’m hoping that the organizers and the participants in that gathering will prove me wrong and we can have a peaceful weekend.”
Mr Minns had a dire warning for Sydneysiders if Monday’s scenes were repeated over the weekend.
“It would be devastating to Sydney’s sense of togetherness, our multicultural, multi-faith community, we cannot see those scenes again and the police have every right to protect and ensure those scenes over the weekend are not repeated.” Go,” he said. Said.
Police plan to use “extraordinary powers” to search protesters without cause and require them to identify themselves upon request.
Acting Commissioner David Hudson said, “We want to look for people who we think may protest or who have expressed an interest in protesting, based on the experiences of weapons and fire, Monday night.” Is.”
“We will also demand that they provide us with their identification. So that they cannot hide themselves in the crowd without fear of reprisal…”
Throughout the week, Mr Minns has strongly condemned the actions of the pro-Palestinian protesters involved in Monday’s rally.
He said, “The celebration of brutal indiscriminate killing and kidnapping by some people in Israel is appalling.”
“This is the opposite of the dynamic multicultural community we want in NSW and Australia.”
Dozens of Islamic community groups have called on the government to “end double standards” and acknowledge the loss of Palestinian lives in the conflict.
A joint letter from 41 groups rejected “one-sided portrayals of the Palestinian issue in Australia” and condemned all “calls and incitements to violence and hatred of any individual”, including anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim or Islamophobic attitudes.
“Enough is enough. The voices of Australian Muslims and advocates for justice for all people will no longer be silenced on the issue of Palestine,” the letter said.
Mr Minns defended his and police efforts to shut down Sunday’s protests, saying NSW was facing calls for violence not seen at other pro-Palestine protests.
“Other states have not seen what we saw in Sydney on Monday night and the decision that NSW Police has not been isolated, supported by the NSW Government… it has been made on the back of a protest that went wrong ,” He said.
“And I don’t think anyone, not even the organizers of the protest, can claim that it was successful. It was not peaceful.”
He vowed that “racial abuse will not be tolerated on the streets of Sydney”.
Mr Minns called a snap press conference after three people were arrested for allegedly giving Nazi salutes outside Sydney’s Jewish Museum.
Officers were called to Darlinghurst Road in Darlinghurst shortly before midday on Friday where they arrested three men.
NSW Police have not yet released details of the incident but there are police cars parked on the streets outside the museum.
A NSW Police spokesperson said, “Although there is no threat to the public, Darlinghurst Road is closed to the public pending an ongoing enquiry.”
It is understood that the incident did not involve any threats of violence.
