Solidarity with the 'Sumud Flotilla' Gathering at Bondi Beach

Yesterday, on Father’s Day, hundreds of people met at Bondi Beach to participate in a solidarity gathering for the Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of more than 50 ships which is sailing from Spain in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza and deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to the war stricken strip. Banners and small origami boats were brought to Bondi to make a pathway down to the water’s edge, where a ‘paddle out’ by surfers was launched. The gathering was organised by Jews Against The Occupation ‘48.

As the event commenced, a large group of Pro-Israeli and Zionist counter-protesters assembled on the esplanade, to hurl racist abuse and mock the pro-Palestinian crowd. A brief scuffle ensured but was quickly broken up by police The counter-protest quickly grew in number, swelling to around 1,000 people.

After a couple of hours, the solidarity gathering had to be escorted from the beach by police because of concerns for their safety.

The Sumud Flotilla is currently docked in Tunisia and is expected to set sail towards Gaza in coming days.

*Click through images for full screne view.

Beat Breakdown - Hip Hop Edition

Photographs from last Thursday’s Beat Breakdown dance battle at Palm Grove, Darling Harbour on Gadigal and Wangal Lands.

The event was organised and hosted by Dancekool.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Anti-Racism Rally

Last Sunday, several hundred people turned up to Prince Alfred Park, Gadigal Land, to attend an anti-racist rally, where speeches against hate were made and live music and poetry performed.

The event was organised by Rock Against Racism, the Refugee Action Group, Pride In Protest, Solidarity and Food Not Bombs.

Only several hundred metres away, around 10,000 were attending a far right-wing, neo-nazi and anti-immigration protest.

The anti-racist rally marched up Elizabeth street to joint several thousand others at the regular pro-Palestinian rally in Hyde Park.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Beat Breakdown at Darling Harbour

Photographs from last Thursday’s Beat Breakdown dance battle at Palm Grove, Darling Harbour on Gadigal and Wangal Lands.

The categories of this week’s battles were Vogue and House.

The event was organised and hosted by Dancekool.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Photographs from Sunday’s Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land, Sydney, ‘Australia’, part of a national day of action.

Organisers say attendance numbers were around 100,000 people, equalling numbers in Melbourne, Naarm. 50,000 turned up in Brisbane, Megandjin, as well as tens of thousands elsewhere in other capital cities and towns around the country.

Click through images for full screen view.

Sorry Business - Vale Paul Coe

Photographs of sorry business for Wiradjuri warrior, life-time activist and advocate, barrister, father, brother, grandfather and uncle, Paul Coe, who was remembered and celebrated at Erambie, Cowra, Wiradjuri Land last Thursday.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Photographs of Sunday’s Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land, Sydney, ‘Australia’.

*Click through images for full screen view.

The Next Generation: NAIDOC Takeover at The Red Rattler

Photographs from The Next Generation: NAIDOC Takeover at The Red Rattler, held last month on the 12 of July, celebrating up and coming young Aboriginal talent.

The evening was hosted by Lizzy Jarrett and featured performances by Walan Miimi, Bowra Boy, Wiradjuri, Gudgenburra & Gumbaynggirr youth dancers, and Knxyy, a Gadigal-based rapper and producer.

*Click through images for full screen view.

March For Humanity

Last Sunday, despite objections from the NSW Premier, Chris Minns and police, a sea of humanity swept across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on Gadigal and Cammeraygal Lands, Sydney, Australia, demonstrating resounding support for Palestine, as death and starvation continues to spread across Gaza.

Estimates were that between 100,000 and 500,000 attended the historic rally, although experts settled on around 300,000. It was one of the largest - if not the largest - protest marches in Australia’s history. The massive crowd looked like a true reflection of the city’s residents - one that is rarely portrayed - people from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds, from all over Sydney, united in the cause to demand a halt to the siege of Gaza.

Despite driving rain, the mood was determined, but also overwhelming joyous, as the marchers, buoyed by the numbers, soon understood the historic nature of the momentous occasion. At one point, police blocked the northern side of the bridge and turned the crowd around - citing safety concerns, forcing people to march back over to the southern side. For some this meant a second rare opportunity to traverse the harbour from above, to stop and dance in the middle of the bridge in a celebration of resistance against a government that said, ‘no’.

The March of Humanity was organised by the Palestine Action Group, Sydney.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Freedom Before Peace Fundraiser

Photographs from last night’s concert fundraiser, ‘Freedom Before Peace’, in support of The Dhadjowa Foundation, an organisation established to provide strategic, coordinated and culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody.

The night was held at the Landsdowne Hotel on Gadigal Land, and featured Barkaa, Kobie Dee, Tasman Keith, Wire MC, Rox Lavi, Riah, Tillow and Reggie Brown. Jason Munro Jnr made an acknowledgement of country and recognised the passing of Wiradjuri warrior, Paul Coe.

The night was curated by Tasman Keith.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Photographs from this weekend’s Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Converge On Canberra - Day 3

Photographs from Tuesday, the final day of the three-day ‘Converge on Canberra’ mass protests against Israel’s siege of Gaza.

After two days of disruptive action across Canberra, on Ngunnawal Land, around 1,000 people gathered in front of Parliament House, on the opening day of the Parliamentary term, to listen to speeches from a range of Palestinian, Aboriginal and Jewish speakers. Independent senator, Fatima Payman and Greens senator, Mehreen Faruqi, also spoke.

A woman symbolically burned her Israeli passport in support of Gazans.

Despite Federal police cordoning off the rally to an isolated precinct, protesters broke police lines to storm the front of Parliament House. One was arrested outside, while 17 others were detained after holding a protest inside the Parliament House cafe.

As a result of the disruption, Parliament had to cancel its 19-cannon salute that usually marks the first day of the Parliamentary term. It was a powerful symbolic action, where the guns were literally silenced.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Converge On Canberra

On Sunday, thousands of people from around the country descended on Canberra, Ngunnawal Land, to protest against the war on Gaza in what was dubbed ‘Converge on Canberra’. The mass gathering will last over 3 days until the official opening of the new Parliamentary term on Tuesday.

People travelled from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and as far away as Western Australia. Amongst the protesters included several contingents of First Nations people and anti-Zionist and anti-war Jews.

Speeches were made outside Parliament House before the rally marched to the embassies of the United States of America and Israel, where it was met by a handful of pro-Israeli and Zionist counter-protesters.

The march then circled back to Parliament House, where the day was concluded with a evening vigil.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Memorial Assembly And March For Victims of Deaths In Police Custody

Today, a small but passionate group turned up to Sydney Town Hall, Gadigal Land, to hold a memorial for those who have been killed by police in custody during welfare checks.

Family and friends of those who have been killed called for alternative approaches to mental health incidents, demanding that health professionals conduct such checks, rather than police. Some speakers also called for wide-ranging police reforms, including the banning of police guns and community policing approaches.

Today’s memorial was held just days after Waterloo public housing resident, Colin Burling, was killed during an apparent welfare check by police and two years after Jesse Deacon was killed in similar circumstances.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Photographs from Sunday’s Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Palestine Protest at SEC Plating

Last night, around 200 pro-Palestinian protestors gathered out the front of SEC Plating Pty Ltd in Belmore, south-west Sydney, Dharug Land, to protest against what they say is the manufacturing of parts for F-35 jets, which are the aircraft involved in the current bombing of Gaza by Israeli forces.

Speakers also spoke out against the actions of NSW police, who were involved in an altercation with former Greens candidate for Grayndler, Hannah Thomas, at another protest at the same site last week. As a result of the incident, Thomas is at risk of losing an eye. Charges against the former Greens candidate have been widely criticised by civil liberties groups and have now been dropped. Lawyers are looking into whether the police should be sued for these actions. There are claims that police falsely invoked draconian anti-protest laws during last week’s protest.

*Click through images for full screen view.

King Stingray at AGNSW for NAIDOC

Photos from King Stingray’s NAIDOC performance at the Art Gallery of NSW on Gadigal Land.

Supported by Keanu Nelson and Alice Sky.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Public Housing Rally

Photographs from today’s rally in Glebe, on Gadigal and Wangal Lands, to demand a halt to the selling off of public housing by the NSW State government.

The rally began at Minogue Reserve before moving to Glebe Markets where speeches were made. The protest then moved to 82 Wentworth Street, where public housing is currently being demolished, despite the buildings being fit for residential living and in the face of the current housing crisis.

*Click through images for full screen view.

Free Palestine Rally

Photos from Sunday’s Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land.

*Click through images for full screen view.