Thousands of Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at rallies across Australia as Gaza braces for a ground strike from Israeli forces.
Australians in Canberra, Brisbane and Perth on Friday showed their support for the heavily-bombarded Palestinians as Israel continues to send warplanes into Gaza in retaliation for attacks from Hamas militants.
Attendees in Canberra were seen peacefully waving flags, as a small group of counter-protestors stood nearby holding signs.
Regarded as Israel’s 9/11, Hamas launched its deadliest attack on the country on Saturday, firing 3,500 rockets into the contested territory.
Israel has warned 1.1 million civilians in north Gaza that they have 24 hours to relocate to the south, with its military chief declaring ‘now is the time for war’.
Thousands of Australians protested in Canberra, Perth and Brisbane on Friday (pictured, Canberra)
Thousands marched in support of Palestine (pictured, children joining the protest in Brisbane)
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal organised the global wave of protests on Friday
Attendees in Canberra were seen peacefully waving flags, as a small group of counter-protestors stood nearby holding signs (pictured, Canberra)
Australians protesting on Friday were seen waving flags and carrying signs (pictured, Brisbane)
Protesters at the Canberra rally called on the Australian government to do more to support Palestinians under siege.
One leader wanted the government to ‘call out Israel’s breaches of international laws, including the fourth Geneva convention and UN resolutions’.
Photos of the protests show thousands of Palestine supporters, including young children, marching with the Palestinian flag and signs accusing Israel of ‘genocide’.
The rallies in Canberra and Brisbane come on the same day that NSW Premier Chris Minns has urged residents of his state not to attend protests planned by the Palestine Action Group Sydney for this weekend.
‘Obviously, I’m concerned about the assembly on Sunday,’ Mr Minns told the media on Friday.
Cities around the world, including London, New York and Amsterdam, have increased security around Jewish cultural sites and schools since pro-Palestinian protests began (pictured, Canberra)
The rallies in Canberra and Brisbane come on the same day that NSW Premier Chris Minns has urged residents of his state not to attend protests (pictured, Brisbane)
The Australian rallies were part of a larger worldwide movement for a ‘day of jihad’
thousands of Palestine supporters, including young children, marching with the Palestinian flag and signs accusing Israel of ‘genocide’ (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
Protesters were seen peacefully waving flags, as a small group of counter-protestors stood nearby holding signs
NSW Police revealed they may use extraordinary powers to search those planning to attend the pro-Palestine protests after a previous rally organised by the same group featured anti-Semitic chants.
‘Now, I think it is fair to note that whether that protest was hijacked or there was malevolent intent from the very beginning, it doesn’t matter,’ he said.
‘The organisers of the protest have proven to the NSW police, the government, people of NSW that they can’t manage a peaceful protest.’
The anti-Semitic rally in front of the Sydney Opera House saw pro-Palestinian protesters burn the Israeli flag and make references to the Holocaust.
Those attitudes were not reported at protests on Friday.
NSW Police revealed they may use extraordinary powers to search those planning to attend the pro-Palestine protests (pictured, officers at the protest in Canberra)
Australians joined a global protest in support of Palestine on Friday (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
The head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation earlier warned the rising tensions between Israeli and Palestinian communities in Australia could lead to violence (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
Thousands of Australians marched in support of Palestine (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
Police said they might search protesters after a previous rally featured anti-Semitic chants (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
Mr Minns had a grim warning for Sydneysiders if the scenes on Monday were repeated on the weekend.
‘That would be ruinous for Sydney’s sense of cohesion, our multicultural, multi-faith community, we couldn’t have those scenes again and police have got every right to protect and ensure that those scenes aren’t repeated over the weekend,’ he said.
The Australian rallies were part of a larger worldwide movement for a ‘day of jihad’ – an Islamic phrase meaning the struggle to see the right thing realised.
Palestine Action Group Sydney shared a statement from a large group of Muslim organisations on Friday regarding the success of the protests.
It wrote: ’50+ national, state and local Muslim organisations from around the country join hands on the ONE platform to speak up in the face of injustice in Palestine. We will never be silenced.
‘This is no ‘conflict’, and it didn’t start yesterday. Take the time to travel back through 75 years of illegal occupation. Only then will you understand.’
In Melbourne on Friday, members of the Australian Israeli community gathered to hold a vigil for the lives lost (pictured, mourners at a vigil for the Israeli lives lost in Melbourne)
A woman hosting a press conference for relatives of Hamas victims described the militant group as a ‘death squad’ (pictured, Melbourne)
At least 1,300 lives were taken in Hamas’ attack on Israeli towns last week (pictured, Melbourne)
Survivors of Hamas’ attack described the horror of women being raped while survivors were kidnapped (pictured, Melbourne)
Melbourne members of the Israeli community held a vigil on Friday (pictured, Melbourne)
Palestine Action Group Sydney has also included a warning racist and anti-Semitic behaviour will not be tolerated at Sunday’s event.
‘We remind everyone that the struggle for a free Palestine is an anti-racist struggle,’ it said.
‘We condemn and oppose all forms of racism, including anti-semitism and Islamophobia.
‘Ours is a struggle against the state of Israel, not against Jewish people, many of whom oppose Zionism, and who have a long history of being part of our movement for a free Palestine.
‘Anyone wishing to express anti-semitic views is not welcome at our protests.’
The protests were held as Israel warned 1.1 million civilians in north Gaza they have 24 hours to relocate to the south (pictured, badges for sale at the protest in Brisbane)
Protesters at the Canberra rally called on the Australian government to do more to support Palestinians under siege (pictured, Canberra)
The Australian rallies were part of a larger worldwide movement for a ‘day of jihad’ (pictured, Canberra)
The rallies in Canberra and Brisbane come on the same day that NSW Premier Chris Minns has urged residents of his state not to attend protests (pictured, Brisbane)
The Australian rallies were part of a larger worldwide movement for a ‘day of jihad’ – an Islamic phrase meaning the struggle to see the right thing realised (pictured, Canberra)
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal organised the global wave of protests on Friday.
‘[We must] head to the squares and streets of the Arab and Islamic world on Friday,’ he said from his office in Qatar.
Photos show hundreds of thousands of people followed his request and flooded city centres on Friday.
The move has seen several cities, including London, New York and Amsterdam, increase security around Jewish cultural sites and schools.
In Germany the head of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, which fights against right-wing extremism, told Daily Mail: ‘We kind of expect the worst, especially after Hamas published posts and called for attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions for today.’
Mike Burgess, the head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, on Thursday warned the rising tensions between Israeli and Palestinian communities in Australia could lead to violence.
‘I remain concerned about the potential for opportunistic violence with little or no warning. However, it is important to distinguish opportunistic violence from planned violence or acts of terrorism,’ he said.
‘ASIO remains well-placed to detect threats to security including potential acts of politically motivated violence or the promotion of communal violence.’
Former Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal organised the global wave of protests on Friday (pictured, Brisbane)
The global protests have seen several cities, including London, New York and Amsterdam, increase security around Jewish cultural sites and schools (pictured, Brisbane)
Australians protesting on Friday were seen waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs (pictured, Canberra)
Perth was one of several Australian cities to host pro-Palestinian marches on Friday (pictured, protesters in Perth)
Israel has warned 1.1 million civilians in north Gaza on Friday that they have 24 hours to relocate to the south (pictured, Perth)
A woman hosting a British press conference with the family of Hamas victims condemned people who supported the militant group.
‘Hamas… is a modern day death squad. They went door to door, snatched babies from their mothers and children from their beds and brutally, cold-bloodedly slaughtered them,’ she said.
‘Girls were raped over their friends’ bodies, many survivors were kidnapped.
‘These horrific acts were celebrated on the streets of Tehran, Gaza and even by some here in London. We have never before in Israel experienced such a traumatic event, which will take years, if not generations, to overcome.
‘This is the biggest hostage crisis the world has faced in decades.’
At least 1,300 lives were taken in Hamas’ attack on Israeli towns.
Thousands of Australians joined a global protest in support of Palestine on Friday (pictured, Perth)
At least 1,300 lives were taken in Hamas’ attack on Israeli towns last week (pictured, Melbourne)
Mike Burgess on Thursday warned the rising tensions between Israeli and Palestinian communities in Australia could lead to violence (pictured, Melbourne)
The protests in Canberra in Brisbane came as NSW Premier Chris Minns urged residents of his state not to attend protests (pictured, protesters in Brisbane)
In Melbourne on Friday, members of the Australian Israeli community gathered to hold a vigil for the lives lost.
Israel’s retaliatory air strikes on the Gaza Strip, home to some 2.3 million people, have seen large parts of the coastal enclave decimated.
Gaza’s health ministry said at least 1,354 people have been killed and more than 6,000 injured so far.
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