| Protesters make huge call on Herzog rally |
** The Palestinian Action Group (PAG) launched an urgent legal challenge to the use of the laws in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday.
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Protesters make huge call on Herzog rally
Story by Steve Zemek
10/02/2026
(See translation in Arabic section)
Sydney-Middle East Times Int'l: A pro-Palestinian protest group says it will forge ahead with a rally against Isaac Herzog at Town Hall in the Sydney CBD on Monday afternoon despite losing a legal challenge against the Minns government.
The Israeli President touched down in Sydney on Monday morning after the state government designated his visit a “major event” which granted police extended powers.
The Palestinian Action Group (PAG) launched an urgent legal challenge to the use of the laws in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday.
But in a decision handed down late on Monday afternoon, Justice Robertson Wright sided with the state and their decision to grant police extended powers during Mr Herzog’s visit.
“My conclusions have not been reached easily or lightly,” he said.
The powers allow police to shut down parts of the CBD and eastern suburbs, carry out searches and issue $5500 fines for anyone who does not comply with police directions..
The decision was handed down less than an hour before a planned protest, which was scheduled to begin at Town Hall at 5.30pm, was scheduled to get underway.
Following the court’s decision, PAG organised Josh Lees said the group planned to go ahead with the rally.
“That’s all we’ll be doing now - heading to Town Hall for a massive protest that is happening all around the country in something like 30 cities,” Mr Lees said outside court.
“That will be a peaceful protest. What we’ve been saying this entire time is that it’s completely lawful for us to gather at Town Hall to hold a public assembly.
“And we have been talking to police and we will continue to talk to police and call on them to facilitate the march that we would like to have.”
‘Draconian’: Fury over protest block
‘Draconian’: Fury over protest block
Police have been granted additional powers after the “major event” declaration – the first of its kind for a visiting dignitary – was made by the Minns government.
The designation is ordinarily used for music and sporting events.
Police proposed an alternate route and pushed for the protest to begin at Hyde Park and end at Belmore Park.
“The purpose is not to suppress protest, but to relocate it,” barrister Brendan Lim SC, acting for the state, told the court on Monday.
The PAG mounted the challenge on three grounds: that Herzog’s visit does not constitute an “event”, that the designation was unreasonable, and that it was for an “improper purpose”, the group’s barrister Peter Lange SC told the court.
The court was told that the PAG argued that in order for the declaration to be made, it required that a time, location and who is participating in the “event” to be specified.
“It’s been put in the written submissions in chief that the act does not apply to political events as such,” Mr Lange told the court.
He argued that there were no tickets for the protest, such as there would be for major sporting and music events.
‘Draconian’: Fury over protest block
Justice Wright said that in its media release, the government said it was concerned with mourners and protesters crossing paths in a way that risks “conflict, violence or public disorder”.
He also noted that the government had not included Hyde Park in the exclusion zone, which would allow the march to go ahead in a large public space.
Justice Wright said it appeared the government’s motivation for making the major event declaration was “not suppression of protest but keeping two groups separate”.
He emphasised that Mr Lees and the group he represented sought to peacefully protest.
However, he said there were other elements in society that sought to carry out violent acts against Jews.
“Other elements, who apparently don’t share those peaceful views, as demonstrated in December, and that gives rise to a security concern,” Justice Wright said.
Questions raised about Herzog protest challenge
Barrister Felicity Graham, who acted for the protesters, argued there was no evidence that any mourners or Mr Herzog would be present at Town Hall on Monday evening.
She said the powers would be in force in Sydney at a time when Mr Herzog would be in Melbourne and Canberra.
“It’s inconceivable that parliament intended these extraordinary powers to be available to police officers, across almost the entirety of the CBD and the eastern suburbs for four days, even in circumstances where the evidence is that President Herzog will be in Canberra and Melbourne for some of the time that he is in Australia from the 9th to the 12th of February,” she said.
“So, on days where President Herzog is in Canberra or Melbourne, these powers will still be in force in Sydney.” |
