Conflict inevitable when right to demonstrate is suppressed

I attended the gathering at Town Hall on Monday to protest Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit, but also the NSW government’s draconian restrictions on the right to protest. How can such laws, drawn up in the name of “social cohesion”, permit an Australia Day anti-immigration rally but not Monday’s gathering? These rules meant people could not march from Town Hall to Parliament House, but it soon became clear we would also not be allowed to just stay at Town Hall indefinitely. At some point, police would have to end the stand-off, force people to move on and arrest those who didn’t (“Chaotic scenes in CBD”, February 10). I observed people at Town Hall to be both calm and respectful, if passionate in shouting their slogans. They were compliant with police directions, including to ensure that thoroughfares for the public remained accessible. They were also peaceful when the crowd initially tried to move to Parliament House. Had they been allowed to march, I strongly believe the protest would have continued without any, or only very minimal, conflict with police. The confrontations that followed were regrettable, but an inevitable and foreseeable consequence of the laws that effectively prohibited the march from taking place. Ross Duncan, Potts Point

I am outraged by the descriptions of Monday’s violence as “clashes” between protesters and police. A completely peaceful demonstration was violently attacked for the crime of making a political statement in a public place. I witnessed a friend of mine being punched and pepper-sprayed directly in the eyes by a police officer who pointed at her and mocked her. She had her hands in the air. This is un-Australian. Eleanor Myatt, Randwick

I was there at Town Hall on Monday night, surrounded by principled people concerned about the massacre of Palestinians. Doctors, nurses, journalists, Jewish people, mums, dads, and the young, all calling for this horrible crime against humanity to stop. Herzog’s public claim that the protesters want to see the end of Israel is totally wrong, and was very poor diplomacy indeed. Ann Hatton, Manly

Unlike some of your correspondents, I’m not outraged by the police response to the anti-Herzog protest (“Premier defends police as Greens MP claims she was beaten”, February 10). In fact, I think police behaved with great restraint under enormous pressure and risk. The whole intent of this protest and particularly the so-called pious men who felt the need to get down on their hands and knees and pray despite being asked to move on, was nothing more than a calculated and deliberate act of provocation designed purely for social media. It is time for Sydneysiders to reclaim their city from the professional agitators and their many bleating sheep. Anthony Mitchell, Forest Lodge

One of the more shocking and controversial bit of protest footage was police physically removing a group of people doing nothing more dangerous than kneeling in prayer at the Town Hall square. One seemed to have been violently picked up and tossed aside. So much for authorities having respect for other people’s religion. This will only cause more animosity, which is the last thing we need, particularly at a time like this. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury

I am heartily sick of Greens politicians criticising police for carrying out orders (“Greens MPs accuse officers of ‘police violence’”, February 10). The organisers of the Town Hall protest had their request to march to Macquarie Street denied by authorities, and their appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court. Yet they marched anyway. If the court had ruled differently, the police would have allowed the march. The organisers of the march want it both ways: to obey court rulings that suit them and flout rulings that don’t. Top Greens Sue Higginson and David Shoebridge need to decide whether they support democratic government or mob rule. To criticise police for carrying out a lawful order, as Higginson does, I find offensive. She does not mention the protesters who were arrested for assaulting police. If she was in a blue uniform, how would she stop a crowd marching to a prohibited area without laying hands on them? The Greens are correct to defend the right for peaceful protest, but they should also be prepared to call out the behaviour of the minority who attend protests itching for an opportunity to punch a cop. Mike Reddy, Vincentia

I saw television footage of some police acting violently, without provocation, towards peaceful protesters. It was shameful. But there in the midst of it all were two officers, a man and a woman, talking calmly and amicably to protesters who were face to face with them. It was shocking – no punches were thrown. Those two officers ought to be recognised and rewarded for their restraint and decency, and used as examples of best practice by the NSW Police. On the other hand, the officer who pummeled the older man, whose hands were raised in submission, ought to be disciplined. We must make it clear such behaviour by police will not be tolerated in Australia. Vicki Burge, Camperdown

Hundreds of police cordoned peaceful protesters and then attacked them when they sought to march in the CBD. Yet the NSW Police provided no such precautionary measures in December to protect our Jewish citizens at Bondi Beach. The perpetrators faced no deterrence before carrying out their ghastly deed. Despite weeks of discussion about possible threats to the Jewish community, NSW Police showed it was totally ill prepared. It had no tactical plan for securing the Bondi Beach area, checking cars or for denying would-be attackers the advantage of high ground. An inquiry into the tactical deficiencies of the NSW Police is needed urgently. Brian Brennan, Wollstonecraft

Correspondent Lynne Strong has very eloquently stated the obvious, that Isaac Herzog’s visit was destined to inflame a tinderbox of raw emotions (Letters, February 10). I do question the judgment of PM Albanese, more so these days after the Herzog invitation. David Leser, while not purporting to represent the Jewish community, rightly questioned the value of Herzog’s presence to the Jewish diaspora (“I’m Jewish. I live in Bondi. But I take no comfort from Herzog’s visit”, February 9). Now the conflict associated with this visit has extended to the Minns government and the NSW Police. Most unwise, Albo. Bruce Hall, Avalon

It seems we are living in a police state as a consequence of legislation drawn up by the Labor state government. The actions now to silence opposition are comparable to actions of the Bjelke Petersen government in the 1970s, and Donald Trump’s ICE enforcers. Who would have thought that in 2026 we would yet again be fighting for the right to peacefully demonstrate and voice opposition? Maureen Davis, MacMasters Beach

I couldn’t vote One Nation. I wouldn’t vote Liberal, and now I can never again vote Labor after seeing the ICE-type police brutality that was condoned by the Minns Labor government. The police action was grossly inappropriate. Shame on you, Mr Minns. We are Australians. We are not living in Trump’s America. Wendy Lowe, Enmore

There was surely no need for the sort of police brutality seen against people in what had set out to be a peaceful protest. It reminded me of the quote “violence begets violence”. The images were beyond shocking. Vicky Marquis, Glebe

When I saw the footage of NSW police beating people up I thought I was watching a scene from the US. The Minns government and the NSW Police have done so much damage to social cohesion. Joyce Wu, Caringbah

Social cohesion enforced by oppressive legislation reinforced by masked snipers with high-powered rifles, tear gas and batons is the social cohesion of Putin, Trump and Xi. Peter Hull, Katoomba

Herzog missed the point

Mr Herzog, you don’t need to explain to us the horror of the massacre of Israelis on October 7, 2023 (“We warned of surging antisemitism before Bondi attack, says Israeli president”, February 10). We know. We are a democracy with a free press. Likewise, we know of the horrific deaths of many thousands of innocents in Gaza, and the reduction of their country to rubble, despite Israel keeping international journalists out of Gaza. We also don’t need to be told that if we find this slaughter appalling, we therefore deny Israel’s right to exist. You know that Australia supports a two-state solution. Jennifer Katauskas, Turramurra

Israel’s security cabinet this week approved measures to expand Israeli control over the West Bank. The Israeli decision “will make it easier for Jewish settlers to buy land”, an Israeli minister said, and that the government would “continue to kill the idea of a Palestinian state”. This highlights how the Australian public continues to be gaslit by President Herzog, who claims the pro-Palestine protests are objecting to the existence of the Israeli state. No. What we are protesting against are the attempts by Israel to eliminate the Palestinian people and any possibility of a Palestinian state. Peter Gibson, Wentworthville

I am a Jewish Australian, but I know that Isaac Herzog is wrong. He claimed the Bondi shootings were caused by the “the very same age-old antisemitism endured by our parents and grandparents”. That is totally erroneous. He is referring to the horrendous European antisemitism that led directly to the Holocaust. The governments, police and armies of Europe were not just complicit, but were responsible for executing much of that antisemitism. In this country, as evidenced by their laws and actions, our politicians, police and armed forces support and protect Jewish Australians. As such, we are a lucky people and should not let an outsider, the titular head of a country that blatantly massacres a disenfranchised people, try to increase division in our society. We are a multicultural nation, our best future lies in kindness, communication and concern for the rights of all Australians together. Sarah Goldman, Rose Bay

Wouldn’t it have been better for our own head of state to oversee the mourning rather than a contentious head of state from another country? Governor General Sam Mostyn could have provided calm and uncontroversial support to the grieving families of those murdered at Bondi, allowing all to focus on healing. Now we have the awful scenario of disallowed protests, resulting in what seems unnecessary police force. Plus the unedifying spectacle of former prime minister Tony Abbott suggesting police who used violence be commended and issued with rubber bullets and tear gas (“Abbott says police who punched protesters should be praised”, February 10). As someone from a country caught in riots where such weaponry was deployed, it’s clear to me that Abbott does not know what he’s talking about. This could all have been avoided. Alison Stewart, Riverview

The Israeli president is the head of state, not the government. Governor General Sam Mostyn is our head of state. Mostyn cannot be held to account for what our government does. Similarly, Isaac Herzog cannot be held accountable for what PM Benjamin Netanyahu does (Letters, February 10). John Partridge, Mosman

I’m confused. Only two months ago, we grieved with the Jewish community, swamped them with flowers, tears and compassion. That community is still shattered, still traumatised, still grieving, but allowing them to mourn their loss with one of their own, the president of their homeland, is for some reason a step too far. Barbara Dufty, Morisset Park

Stale and frail

So the pale, frail, stale males of the Liberal Party are looking to push one of their own back into leadership (“Liberals at boiling point as Taylor backers push for challenge within days”, February 10). That’s a sure-fire way to win back all those alienated women sick and tired of being ignored by the party. The political misogyny that destroyed Australia’s one and only woman prime minister, Julia Gillard, now has a new target – Sussan Ley. It will be interesting to see how far Angus Taylor’s numbers have to fall before they get the message. Neil Ormerod, Kingsgrove

The boy who wouldn’t do his homework, Angus Taylor, is being touted as a future leader of the Coalition. Previously described as Tweedle-Dee to Peter Dutton’s Tweedle-Dum, he was given special opportunities to devise policy for the Coalition in the lead-up to the last election. Whatever the reasons, he comprehensively failed and the policy void remained the Coalition’s hallmark. Why keep making the same mistakes? Martin Bell, Balgowlah

The disquiet in leadership of the reformed Coalition has nothing to do with Sussan Ley’s leadership qualities, her political ideology or her strength of character. For goodness sake, she’s a woman. The male, right-wing conservative members of the National Party require male leaders, always. A woman as leader, never. Rodney Worthington, Coorabell

Science v opinion

I share correspondent Irene Nemes’ deep concern over the replacement of well-researched, evidence-based journalism with the subjective opinions of social media “content creators” (Letters, February 10). This concern was expressed well by Hippocrates, the “father of medicine’, more than 2000 years ago: “There are, in fact, two things, science and opinion: the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.” Graeme Stewart, Avalon Beach

Price of youth

As a Boomer, I have a severe dose of the Edgar Britts with younger generations’ incessant carping about how lucky I am, how privileged I am, how selfish I am, how greedy I am, etc. To all of them, and on behalf of many of us who are knocking on heaven’s door, I say, I would trade it for fifty years of your youth any day of the week. John Campbell, South Golden Beach

Big talk

As clever as both the letters of Andrew Mitterdorfer and Greg Phillipson are (Letters, February 10), I think it is fair to say they are guilty of sesquipedalianism. Chris McKimm, Karangi

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