It has Sky News all a-flutter, so naturally NSW Labor is also clutching its pearls over it, but the Greens have backed in the right to protest, by warning police against challenging the planned march across Sydney Harbour Bridge this weekend, in support of Palestine and calling for sanctions against Israel.

The NSW Greens have written to police minister Yasmin Catley and Police Commissioner Karen Webb to warn that similar court challenges against peaceful and lawful protest, have failed.

 NSW Greens MP and Justice Spokesperson Sue Higginson said,

As Greens MPs and as people with a conscience, we are all in full support of Palestine Action Group’s desire to hold a community march across Sydney Harbour Bridge at 1pm this Sunday. 

Labor Premier Chris Minns must support this community march too. Any other position will display a catastrophic lack of human compassion and understanding of the people’s need to take action and communicate their political expression”, 

It is impossible to overstate the gravity of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Children’s organs are caving in on themselves due to malnutrition. Men are running away from aid sites with bags of flour soaked in blood. Israel’s Government is targeting innocent civilians and contradicting international law – and the F35 fighter jets that are slaughtering Palestinians operate because of parts made right here in NSW.

This is a Premier who accepted an award from Israel’s President months into a genocide, and who lit up Sydney’s Opera House in support of Israel the moment their illegal war on Gaza began. Chris Minns can be remembered as a man who spoke out in the face of genocide, or he can be remembered as a man who blocked the people of NSW from protesting as children starved.

The NSW Police must permit the people of NSW to peacefully protest. Any challenges to this protest by NSW Police will fail and will be a waste of public resources. It’s Police Minister Yasmin Catley’s responsibility to ensure no challenge occurs and that NSW Police work cooperatively with the community to facilitate this important protest action.

The people of Australia are completely aghast at our Government’s inaction, and marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge will be a powerful symbol of solidarity between the nations of Australia and Palestine.

The Palestine Action Group’s protest is legal, it is moral, and it must go ahead.”