Australia’s central Islamic body has condemned “shocking” vision of NSW Police officers appearing to grab praying Muslim men off the ground at a pro-Palestine rally in Sydney.
Tensions boiled over this evening, with police making arrests and using capsicum spray as thousands protested the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, hours after a Supreme Court judge rejected a bid to quash police powers stopping them from marching through the city.
Criticism of the way NSW Police handled the rally, including accusations from the NSW Council for Civil Liberties of unprovoked violence against protesters, grew throughout the night, sparking calls for the state government to take responsibility.
The video appears to show officers hauling men, some of them wearing high-vis Palestine Action Group vests, off the ground as protesters yell “what are you doing?”, “they’re praying” and “shame on you”.
The Australian National Imams Council said it was outraged by the footage and had raised “urgent and serious concerns” with the NSW Police Commissioner and relevant ministers.
“The recent footage of Muslims praying in the city during the protest against the appalling visit of the Israeli president, being heavy-handedly pushed and forcibly moved by police while in prayer, is shocking, deeply disturbing, and entirely unacceptable.”
The ANIC called on NSW Premier Chris Minns and his government to “take responsibility for this conduct and ensure accountability at the highest levels”.
“This treatment of worshippers is unacceptable in any circumstances. It undermines community trust, offends fundamental freedoms, and must be immediately investigated, rectified, and prevented from recurring,” the body said.
NSW Police has been contacted for comment.
Arrests as demonstrators clash with police
Earlier, demonstrators outside Town Hall were heard chanting “let us march” and later “we will march” as police demanded the crowd disperse before making arrests in a response organisers condemned as “brutal”.
Several people were taken into custody.
Images from the scene show people being pinned to the ground and handcuffed by officers.
Capsicum spray was deployed when several protesters began to clash with a police barricade at the head of the rally.
Protesters burst onto the light rail tracks, bringing all light rail services to a standstill between Central and Circular Quay.
Those arrested were part of thousands demonstrating in Sydney and multiple other Australian cities in opposition to Herzog’s visit.
Palestine Action Group Sydney condemned the “brutal attack by the NSW Police against a massive peaceful protest against Isaac Herzog”.
“Instead of respecting the right of 50,000 people who turned up to express their outrage against our government celebrating someone accused of inciting genocide, the police resorted to unleashing unseen violent repression,” the group said.
“The police, Chris Minns and the whole political establishment should hang their heads in shame for this disgusting attack on democracy and freedom of political expression.”
There have been no official figures released estimating protester numbers.
Condemnations of NSW Police grow
The NSW Council for Civil Liberties condemned the “use of violence against what would have been an otherwise peaceful protest” and called for investigations into the “disgraceful misuse of police powers” at the Town Hall rally.
“The NSW premier has directly contributed to creating an adversarial atmosphere between NSW Police and protestors. Tonight we saw the fruit of this failing of leadership,” president Timothy Roberts said in a statement.
“Instead of allowing the community to exercise their right to assembly and political communication, he has taken an increasingly regressive approach to legislation that erodes both.”
State Greens MP Sue Higginson accused police of “violently assaulting peaceful community members, charging at them with horses and spraying chemical agents across a packed crowd”.
“The actions of the police tonight in Sydney were brutal, unnecessary, and violent,” she said.
Hannah Thomas, who unsuccessfully ran for the federal seat of Grayndler and suffered a serious eye injury when she was arrested during a protest over the supply of weapons to Israel, said tonight’s “carnage” was “far worse”.
“Chris Minns is to blame for every single injury, for every act of violence today,” she said on social media, calling for his resignation.
Supreme Court blocks challenge to police powers
As protesters and police clashed, Herzog was attending a speaking event hosted by the Jewish community at the International Convention Centre on the other side of the CBD.
Minns and former Liberal Party heavyweights were all in attendance as the president hailed the Bondi heroes as “the finest of Australia” and called for an “upgrade” to relations between the countries.
Police, Israeli security, and snipers shadowed Herzog and his wife’s every move since he touched down in Sydney today to meet with Jewish communities in the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack.
The judge’s ruling meant the protesters were unable to march into the city this evening, and must instead stay put at Town Hall.
About 200 police were stationed around the Sydney rally, where speakers condemned the Israeli leader, calling him a war criminal and condemning Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza.
About 30 more rallies were expected to take place across the country over the course of Herzog’s four-day visit.
Less than 45 minutes before the Sydney protest was due to begin, NSW Supreme Court Justice Robertson Wright announced the Palestinian Action Group’s challenge to police powers had been dismissed.
“Submissions on both sides had … considerable force,” Wright said.
“My conclusions have not been reached easily or lightly.”
Thousands of protesters would still show their opposition to Herzog despite being stopped from marching, Palestine Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said outside court.
“We’ve lost this case, but that does not affect what we’re doing tonight,” Lees said.
“What we’ve been saying this entire time is it’s entirely lawful for us to gather at Town Hall to hold a public assembly which is what we’ll be doing.”
Lawyers for the protesters told the court that the government’s declaration was too broad and did not meet legal requirements because no participants or geographic area were specified.
The NSW government declared Herzog’s visit a major event and used legislation normally reserved for large crowd events, which grants police the power to restrict access to certain areas or move people along without a reason.
Failure to comply with lawful police direction could result in fines of up to $5500 or exclusion from the major event area.
The declaration, however, is not a ban on protests or marches, with police still aware of the demonstration planned to contest the visit of the controversial president.
“We are calling on police to allow our march to NSW Parliament, which they could easily do,” the group said in a statement earlier.
“But we are not seeking any confrontation, this will be a peaceful protest.”
When asked about the opposition to his visit, Herzog said demonstrations “undermine and delegitimise” Israel.
“It is important for me to say that I have come here in goodwill,” Herzog told media at Bondi Beach today.
Protests in Melbourne and other cities
Protesters in Melbourne today began a “week of action” against the Israeli president, who is due in the Victorian capital on Thursday.
As many as 10,000 activists were expected to descend on Flinders Street Station at 5.30pm today to protest Herzog’s Australian visit.
“We are horrified, we are appalled, and we are taking our action to the streets,” rally organiser Omar Hassan said.
“His visit as a head of state is not a political act, not a random mourner for Bondi, which we also mourn, he is a political representative of a state that has committed genocide according to the UN High Commission.
“So he is being treated as a political leader with the disrespect actually and the fury he deserves.”
Thousands of demonstrators blocked the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets as they marched towards the State Library of Victoria.
Protesters say they are furious that Herzog was invited to visit Australia, after a September 2025 UN inquiry found Herzog made comments which “may reasonably be interpreted as incitement” to target Palestinians in Gaza.
“We’re not intimidated. We’re going to keep coming out onto the streets and we’re going to tell Albanese and Herzog that the whole world knows they’re committing a genocide,” Lucy from teachers and School Staff for Palestine said.
Victoria Police confirmed it would have a “highly visible presence” through the CBD to ensure the protest remained peaceful.
“Victoria Police respects the right for people to protest lawfully, however we expect that they do so peacefully without impacting the broader community,” a spokesperson said.
“Police will be prepared to respond to any issues if needed.”
A pro-Palestine protest was also being held in Brisbane’s CBD, with marchers flooding King George Square.
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