Pro-Palestinian protesters vow they will keep marching despite ceasefire

Pro-Palestinian protesters have promised no let-up in their marches through central Sydney despite the prospect of a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict opening the way for the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners from Monday.

NSW Police maintained a heavy presence on Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park due to a pro-Palestinian rally, which included a line-up of officers behind temporary barriers to prevent any protesters from marching northwards along Macquarie Street towards the Opera House.

Rally organisers had accepted a route for the march from Hyde Park to Belmore Park near Central Station after NSW’s top court last week blocked protesters descending on the Opera House forecourt amid police warning of the potential for a crowd crush.

Pro-Palestinian protesters march along George Street from Hyde Park on Sunday.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers

The march came ahead of a peace ceremony in Egypt on Monday and the start of the exchange of the remaining Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip for Palestinian prisoners.

Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees said Sunday’s rally would not be the last because, while the plan outlined by US president Donald Trump hopefully delivered some reprieve for Palestinians, it would not result in peace for the people of Gaza.

“In future, we’ll be definitely having more Palestinian demonstrations,” he said.

“[The latest ceasefire is] certainly not going to deliver peace to the Palestinians, let alone a life for the Palestinians because it’s a plan for ongoing occupation.”

A small flotilla of yachts and motorboats sporting Israel and Australian flags passed by the Opera House on Sunday.Credit: Edwina Pickles

Ahead of the march, fellow organiser Amal Naser told the crowd gathered in Hyde Park that it was disappointing that the highest court in the state had banned them from walking to the Opera House. “But that didn’t stop us,” she said, citing the protesters who turned up on Sunday.

The other speakers at the pro-Palestine rally in Hyde Park included several Australians who had returned from the Middle East after they had been detained by Israeli authorities when their Gaza-bound flotilla was recently intercepted.

Police also had a heavy presence in and around the Opera House on Sunday, which included security checkpoints near the Toaster apartment building and the entrance from the Botanic Gardens.

Police maintained a heavy presence in and around the Opera House on Sunday.Credit: Edwina Pickles

The Opera House stairs were fenced off from the public while police had at least four vessels patrolling nearby. A small flotilla of motorboats and yachts sporting Israeli and Australian flags passed by the Opera House shortly after midday.

Members of Sydney’s Jewish community will gather in Sydney’s on Sunday evening to mark the two-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel.

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Premier Chris Minns last week warned that demonstrators who defied the order by gathering at the Opera House could face “the full force of the law”.

The Court of Appeal had warned in its decision last week that flouting the order might expose participants to punishment for contempt of court.

The alternative route on Sunday for pro-Palestine protesters from Hyde Park to Belmore Park ran via George Street, forcing the temporary closure of some roads and light rail services in the CBD.

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