NSW Government calls for calm during Herzog visit

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The NSW Government has called for calm, respect and cooperation as Sydney prepares for Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit next week, declaring it a major event to help manage public safety during a period of heightened activity in the city.

Premier Chris Minns said the visit was important for the country and mattered deeply to the Jewish community as they continued to mourn and recover from the Bondi Beach terrorist attack.

“There will be a significant security and logistical operation in Sydney on Monday afternoon and we cannot allow a situation where mourners and protesters come into close contact on city streets without strong police presence,” Minns said.

“This is about keeping people safe, lowering the temperature and ensuring Sydney remains calm and orderly.”

The designation under the Major Events Act 2009 gives police additional powers to direct people to move on where necessary, close specific locations if required, and issue lawful directions to prevent disruption or risk to public safety.

Anyone who fails to comply with lawful police directions may face penalties, including fines of up to $5500 or exclusion from the major event area.

The government emphasised the arrangements were not a ban on protests or marches, and that people retained the right to express their views lawfully.

However, Minns said the government could not allow a situation where mourners, visitors and protesters were brought into close proximity in a way that risked conflict, violence or public disorder.

Police minister Yasmin Catley said NSW Police were highly experienced in managing major events and would use the powers carefully and proportionately.

“We expect people to follow police directions and if someone chooses to break the law or ignore police instructions, police will respond,” Catley said.

Multiculturalism minister Steve Kamper said the visit offered the Jewish community a chance to honour and grieve the victims of the Bondi terror attack.

“We need to be able to host international visitors, while still ensuring our city remains safe, welcoming and respectful for everyone,” Kamper said.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon previously revealed 3000 NSW police would be on duty during the visit, and said newly passed state laws barring protests in specified areas of Sydney would be extended for another 14 days.

The Australian reported last week that police had cautioned Jewish leaders about potential safety risks for community members attending events during Herzog’s visit, with risk assessments examining the possibility that violent extremists might exploit planned anti-Israel demonstrations.

Defying the protest restrictions, the Palestine Action Group plans to march against Herzog’s visit, with spokesperson Josh Lees calling for NSW Police to facilitate a peaceful march from Town Hall to state parliament.

Herzog accepted an invitation from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to visit Australia and express solidarity with Jewish communities following the terror attack that claimed 15 lives at Bondi Beach on December 14.

Zionist Federation of Australia president Jeremy Leibler said Herzog’s visit was not a provocation but an opportunity “to affirm solidarity in the face of terror, to restore seriousness to a debate overtaken by extremes, and to demonstrate that Australia remains capable of principled engagement in an increasingly polarised world”.