Community leaders back Minns’ ban on bridge march
'The Harbour Bridge is not just a global symbol of our city, it's critical infrastructure,' says Chris Minns.
Jewish community leaders have backed NSW Premier Chris Minns’ decision to block a pro-Palestinian march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge this coming Sunday, warning it would “sully another Australian icon” following the October 9, 2023 protest at the Opera House.
“The Harbour Bridge is not just a global symbol of our city, it’s critical infrastructure. We commend the Premier for his principled comments prioritising the safety and security of all Sydneysiders,” NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO Michele Goldman said.
“Allowing a protest about a foreign conflict to proceed across the Harbour Bridge with minimal notice would pose unacceptable risks to public safety, traffic and community cohesion.
“This is a city still reeling from recent protests that have too often descended into intimidation, hate speech and public disorder.”
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin urged the state government to stand firm against the so-called “March for Humanity” planned for August 3.
“These protesters disgraced our country at the Opera House and dealt a blow to Australian decency from which we’re still reeling. The Premier is right to stop them from sullying another Australian icon,” Ryvchin said.
“Australians are sick of the cost, the disruptions and the extremism that come from these protests. This is the time to enforce our laws and ensure our city is open to everyone.”
In rejecting the action, Minns said the NSW government “cannot support a protest of this scale and nature taking place on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, especially with one week’s notice”.
“The bridge is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure in our city – used every day by thousands of people. Unplanned disruption risks not only significant inconvenience but real public safety concerns. We cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos,” he said. Minns’s decision has faced criticism from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who said the march “would be an incredibly powerful symbol for our most iconic landmark to be the site of a demonstration against starvation in Gaza”.
Seven NSW Greens MPs have supported the protest in an open letter, while former One Nation MLC Mark Latham controversially wrote on X, “Chris Minns sucked up to the powerful Jewish lobby and legislated under false pretences (Dural caravan) to stop protests, this march is in large part a March for Free Speech.”