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Slowly but surely, the crowd outside Town Hall built.
Hundreds of demonstrators trickled in to protest the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Speakers regularly seen at pro-Palestine rallies across Sydney over the past two years took to the stage; familiar chants of “from the river to the sea” rang out as those in crowd called for Herzog’s arrest. By 5.30pm, the official start time of the rally, thousands of protesters have turned up.
After losing an eleventh-hour court bid to have unprecedented police powers thrown out so they could march to NSW Parliament, Palestine Action Group organisers decided that rather than defy the hundreds of police officers ready to “hold the line”, protesters would remain in place and demonstrate peacefully; there would be no confrontation.
But as the end of the rally neared, the mood shifted; the tone of speeches changed, tensions grew and the temperature rose. As negotiations between organisers and senior police on the ground broke down, an unauthorised march appeared inevitable. By 6.45pm, chants of “let them march” echoed across the crowd. The people had spoken.
Over the next two hours, the rally descended into pandemonium. Protesters were punched, kicked and trampled as they tried to breach the police line. Thousands of demonstrators were crushed together as capsicum spray was deployed indiscriminately at close range. Dozens were arrested, and several police officers were allegedly assaulted.
A team of Herald reporters and photographers was on the ground covering the demonstration and police response, and captured videos and images as the situation deteriorated.
Town Hall Square
5.30pm
Moments after a failed last minute legal challenge to the major event declaration to grant extra police powers during Herzog’s visit, thousands of protesters begin filing into the confined Town Hall square.
Palestine Action Group spokesman Josh Lees is coy when asked if he still intended to lead protesters to NSW Parliament despite the restrictions imposed, telling media he was calling on police to facilitate the march.
At first, the rally is peaceful, if angry. There are chants for Herzog’s arrest and declaring the president a war criminal.
Members of Indigenous activist group the Blak Caucus gave speeches decrying the state government’s protest laws.
Protesters hold signs calling Premier Chris Minns a fascist and Herzog an “evil man”.
6pm
The idea of going ahead with a march despite police advice starts spreading through the crowd at Town Hall.
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame gives a furious speech, calling Australia a “spineless colony of the United States”.
“All the right-wing, fascist state of Israel has left now are lies, bombs and bloodlust,” she says.
“From Gadigal to Gaza, globalise the Intifada,” she ends her speech. Under Labor’s proposed new hate speech laws, the phrase “globalise the Intifada” would be banned in NSW.
Activist Amal Naser tells the crowd that even more protesters are trying to get into the square.
“The only thing preventing them from getting in is a very thin blue line made up by the NSW Police,” she says.
6.45pm
The chant “let us march” grows in volume and the crowd starts to get agitated.
At 6:45pm, the officer leading the on-ground police response Superintendent Paul Dunstan confronts Lees and Greens MPs Jenny Leong and Sue Higginson, asking them to tell the crowds to disperse.
The MPs repeatedly tell Dunstan the crowd wants to march, and implore him to facilitate it.
Wolter Peeters
“This is really disappointing,” Dunstan tells Higginson.
“Our elected representatives should be showing some leadership.”
They remain at a stalemate, and minutes later crowds begin pushing towards George Street. Later, Leong narrowly avoids being crushed as police charge protesters.
George Street
7pm
Protesters clash with officers in the first of several violent encounters after a police line is formed near the intersection of Druitt Street and George Street to stop marchers.
Some officers on the line, including senior police co-ordinating the response, try to calm protesters and de-escalate the situation. Other officers charge at protesters before returning to the line.
At 7.09pm, police arrest a man who breaches the line. Fifteen minutes later, protesters chant “f— the police” as the situation deteriorates. Moments later, officers start spraying members of the crowd with capsicum spray from close range.
At 7.29pm, the Herald captures video of a police officer punching a protester in the face. Next to him, a photographer is being shoved by an officer holding on to his shirt.
Several protesters are pushed to the ground by police. Footage captured by the Herald shows an officer appearing to stomp on a man. Several protesters are aggressively shoved to into the crowd as police charge.
One man is dragged away by two officers holding him by the face.
A Herald reporter and photographer are impacted by capsicum spray, which police are using in increasing amounts.
7.45pm
As police struggle to control the situation, Lees addresses the crowd gathered at the front of Town Hall.
“We’re going to take back our streets and demand freedom,” he declares.
“People are getting arrested and pepper sprayed in front of us … this is a bloody outrage.”
If he was trying to temper the crowd’s anger, his message doesn’t get across. He is drowned out by angry chats and boos towards police.
Moments later, the Herald sees a young man desperately rinsing capsicum spray from his eyes and an elderly woman holding her keffiyeh to her face, struggling to breathe.
7.55pm
Police start to aggressively charge at protesters outside Town Hall as they try to herd the crowd west along George Street.
A woman, forced to backpedal as she flees police, appears to be trodden on by several officers as they rush past her. It is unclear if she is injured.
As a dozens-strong police line charges at protesters, several are knocked to the ground. Some are pinned against benches and trees as they try to flee.
Several protesters are chased and arrested as police push the crowd west. Footage posted to social media shows an officer punching a man several times in the head and body as he is pinned to the ground and arrested on the light rail tracks.
A Herald reporter’s phone is knocked from their hand as they film one arrest. Later, they are pinned with several protesters against two cars that have collided and come to a standstill at an intersection on George Street.
9pm
The crowd, still hundreds strong, is pushed to Central Station, where police have formed another line, preventing further marching.
Protesters consider marching through the line, but disperse after organisers advise against it.
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