Vile scenes as pro-Palestinian protestors march to Opera House
Pro-Palestinian protestors burned the Israeli flag and chanted "f..k the Jews" as the Sydney Opera House lit up in solidarity with Israel.
There were ugly scenes as protestors gathered at a pro-Palestine rally and marched to the Sydney Opera House on Monday night, which was lit up in blue and white in solidarity with Israel.
NSW Police and CSG had urged members of the Sydney Jewish community to stay away from the precinct in a late afternoon email sent by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
Pro-Palestinian protestors threw flares at the Opera House while chanting “f..k Israel” and “f..k the Jews”.
An Israeli flag was burned on the steps as police stood guard.
“It is hard to believe that an icon of Sydney was defiled in such a way with videos of protesters chanting “F*** the Jews”, burning Israeli flags and lighting and throwing flares. We are also aware of other incidents and are responding appropriately,” NSW JBD president David Ossip said.
“It is difficult to comprehend that this is happening in our home – here in Sydney. It is difficult to conceptualise that the Jewish community was today warned not to be present in the Sydney CBD this evening as a result of security concerns.”
The protest follows footage taken in Sydney’s southwest of a utility driver honking his car horn while a Palestinian flag was waved and fireworks were launched from inside the vehicle.
The ute ran a red light at an intersection, forcing other traffic to stop.
While not reported to police at the time, they have urged witnesses to come forward and contact Bankstown police or Crime Stoppers.
The incident occurred while nearby in Lakemba, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Hamas onslaught against Israel.
One member of the crowd could be heard shouting, “I’m smiling and I’m happy. I’m elated” and “It’s a day of courage, it’s a day of pride, it’s a day of victory. This is the day we’ve been waiting for,” he said to a crowd who chanted “Allahu Akbar”.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin described the western Sydney gathering as a “sickening display from people with no souls and no humanity … Worshippers of death, rape and misery have no place in civilised society.”
Describing reports of Hamas atrocities against Israelis in recent days, Ryvchin said, “We have all seen the horrific images and videos. Women stripped naked and paraded. Infant children taken from their parents, taunted and tormented by Palestinian kids. Bodies dragged and desecrated.”
Visiting the Sydney Jewish Museum on Monday, NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman condemned the Lakemba protesters.
“We are, I believe, the most successful multicultural community on the planet. That requires all of us to act with restraint and decency at this time,” he said.
“It was disappointing to see overnight and this morning people … celebrating barbarous acts of torture and murder. There is a never an excuse for attacking civilians, let alone celebrating that attack. And I call on all decent Australians to reflect on that and support our Jewish community.
“This is about preferring humanity over barbarity.”
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