Under constant rain, photographs of the 30th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 30
USYD Pro-Palestine Encampment Demonstration
Photographs from yesterday’s pro-Palestinian demonstration at the continuing encampment at the University of Sydney, on Gadigal Land, where over 1,000 people attended. The large rally was sparked by a much smaller pro-Israel Zionist counter-rally, which reportedly attracted around 100 people, and fears the encampment would be attacked.
Several Jewish people were amongst the speakers at the pro-Palestinian rally, which also featured a contingent of anti-Zionist Jews.
As speeches were winding up, a handful of pro-Israeli demonstrators provocatively approached the encampment, waving signs and shouting slogans. A human chain was formed by encampment supporters to protect the site and discourage the pro-Israelis from approaching further.
The encampment was set up a week and a half ago to demand that the University disclose and divest its investments in Israel and the war on Gaza.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 29
Photographs from the 29th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally, on Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia.
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No More: National Rally Against Gender Based Violence
Photographs of yesterday’s ‘No More’ national rally against gender violence in Sydney, Gadigal Land.
Thousands of people attended, marching from Belmore Park to Hyde Park. As of yesterday, 32 women have been killed by male violence in Australia this year. That accounts for one woman killed every four days.
Speakers included organiser, Sarah Williams, Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People, Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts, Palestinian Action Group organiser, Jana Fayyad, poet, Azure Antoinette, victim advocate, Lilli Greer, CEO of Cheek Media, Hannah Ferguson, and activist, Harrison James.
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Land Rights, Climate Justice and Palestine: In Conversation With Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh
Photograph’s from yesterday’s panel discussion and conversation with Palestinian writer, academic, biologist and activist, Professor Mazin Qumsiyeh, from the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability at the Bethlehem University. Professor Qumsiyeh, who is in Australia on a national tour, is also the founder and director of the Palestine Museum of Natural History.
Also speaking was Rawan Arraf, Principal Lawyer and Director of the Australian Centre for International Justice.
The event took place at the National Teacher’s Federation Conference Centre and was hosted by Ahmed Abadla and Jana Fayyad, with an Acknowledgment of Country performed by City of Sydney councillor, Emelda Davis.
The event was organised by Move Beyond Coal, ASU Members for Palestine, Palestine Action Group Sydney, Climate Activists for Palestine, Union Aid Abroad APHEDA, Palestine Justice Movement Sydney, Muslim Collective, Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine, City of Sydney for Palestine, Sydney Climate Coalition and Water for Rivers.
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USYD Gaza Solidarity Encampment - Day 4
Photographs of Day 4 of the University of Sydney ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’, where students, staff and Palestinian supporters gathered again to hear speeches, including one by Anti-Zionist Jewish author and journalist, Anthony Lowenstein, and to rally across the university’s grounds. Protesters occupied City Road for a short time, halting traffic in both directions.
Like similar actions at campuses across the U.S., Canada and France, student and staff protesters are demanding universities disclose their links to the arms industries and divest from Israel’s war on Gaza.
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Sydney Uni Gaza Solidarity Encampment - Day 3
Photographs of Day 3 of the Sydney University ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’, which focussed on alternatives to the dominant ANZAC Day narrative.
Dr Diane Fieldes led a ‘teach-in’ on the topic of ANZAC Day, colonialism and the British and Australian involvement in the establishment of Israel and the Middle East.
The day ended with a vigil for Gaza.
The encampment follows similar actions on university campuses that have spread across the USA, and now in France and Canada. Scores of students have been forcibly arrested at universities in the US.
The protesting students and staff are demanding that universities disclose their involvement in the arms industry and divest from Israel. They are also demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, where over 30,000 Gazans have been killed.
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Sydney University Gaza Solidarity Encampment
Photographs from the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ at Sydney University, where students and Palestinian supporters yesterday started a camp-in to demand a ceasefire in Gaza, and for the university to divest in any support of Israel.
The encampment follows similar mass actions at university campuses across the United States.
The Sydney University protest is being organised by Students for Palestine.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 28
Photographs from the 28th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rallies on Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 27
Photographs from the 27th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally on Gadigal Land, Sydney, Australia.
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Pro-Palestinians Protest Quickstep Arms Component Manufacturer
Yesterday, more than 100 people rallied opposite the Quickstep premises in Bankstown, Dharug country, to protest against the company’s manufacturing of F-35 jet components. F-35 jets are currently being used by Israel to bomb Gaza.
Some say that this exposes Australia to being prosecuted for complicity to war crimes, particularly since the International Court of Justice is currently investigating Israel for committing genocide in Gaza.
The Federal ALP Government and Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, have repeatedly denied that Australia has been selling arms to Israel.
A large contingent of police were yesterday unable to prevent protesters from staging part of their protest directly outside Quickstep’s address, despite demanding the rally be held on the opposite side of the highway.
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The Night of Destiny: Laylat Al Qadr Prayers at Martin Place
Hundreds of Muslims turned up to Martin Place, Gadigal Land, last night, to mark Laylat Al Qadr - ‘The Night of Destiny’ - one of Islam’s holiest nights falling in the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Prayers were held in between discussion of Palestine and Gaza.
Laylat Al Qadr is believed by Muslims to be the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammed.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 26
Photographs from the 26th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally held on Gadigal Land.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 25
Images from the 25th consecutive week of Free Palestine rallies at Hyde Park, Sydney, Gadigal Land.
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Arrests at the ZIM Shipping Protest
Nineteen people were last night arrested at Port Botany during a pro-Palestine rally, protesting against the Israeli-owned ZIM Shipping company, one of whose ships was scheduled to dock at the Patricks wharves in Sydney.
Protesters were met by a large riot squad contingent, who forcibly moved protesters off the road after they performed a peaceful sit-in, dragging several away to waiting wagons. One of those arrested was Maritime Union of Australia Sydney branch secretary, Paul Keating.
There were also reports of police members wearing far-right aligned insignia on their uniforms, such as the so-called ‘Thin Blue Line’ patch, which has been banned by the Metropolitan Police in the UK, while the Queensland Police Force has advised its members not to wear it. NSW Police says that it has “not received any reports of an officer wearing the patch which is not part of the standard NSWPF uniform”. The NSW Premier, Chris Minns, defended the actions of police.
The arrested protesters are facing a maximum of 2 years imprisonment and a $22,000 fine under the draconian anti-protest laws introduced by the last Coalition state government with support from NSW Labor, who were voted in last year.
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Free Palestine Week 24
Photographs of the 24th consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally in Sydney, Gadigal Land. Speakers this week included Jana Fayyad, Josh Lees, Aamar Naser, Hilal Asmar and Theo, who was a victim of an anti-Palestine bomb threat at his Botany home in January.
Yesterday’s march was marred by violence when police stormed a small group of protesters who were performing a peaceful street performance using red food dye as fake blood. Three people were arrested and charged with assault and malicious damage when some of the food dye found its way onto police uniforms.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 23
Photographs from the 23rd consecutive week of Free Palestine rallies in Sydney, Gadigal country.
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Free Palestine Rally - Week 22
Photographs of last Sunday’s 22nd consecutive weekly Free Palestine rally in Hyde Park, Sydney, Gadigal Land.
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Mardi Gras - First Nations
Photographs featuring some of the First Nations representations at last Saturday’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, on Gadigal Land.
The parade featured an appearance by Robert Cole, dressed like his now-deceased twin brother, Malcolm, in his famous 1995 Black Captain Cook outfit.
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Mardi Gras - Pride In Protest
Photographs from last Saturday’s Pride In Protest float at the Sydney Mardi Gras.
Pride In Protest sought to bring focus back to the activist roots of the Mardi Gras, demanding an end to police participation in the parade in the wake of the alleged murder by Jesse Baird and Luke Davis by a NSW police officer. They also brought attention to the war in Palestine, calling for a an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The day started with a speak-out at Sydney Town Hall, before moving to Hyde Park for preparations for the parade, then finally down Oxford Street, in front of an estimated 200,000 people.
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