The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has vowed to stop further pro-Palestinian marches in Sydney after apologising for allowing Monday night’s event that ended with antisemitic slurs being hurled on the steps of the Sydney Opera House.
At the time, the globally recognised Sydney venue had been lit up blue and white in support of Israel, and the protesters had been allowed to march from Town Hall to the steps by police, before the chanting and flare-throwing began.
“I really want to make it clear to the Jewish community that I want to apologise to them specifically, on behalf of the government and myself as the premier of NSW,” Minns said on Wednesday morning.
Video from the protest showed men chanting offensive slogans, including “fuck the Jews” and “fuck Israel”. Event organisers claimed the troublemakers were few in number and had not been part of the broader event.
Minns said the protesters had already “proven they’re not peaceful”.
“Shouting racial epithets at Jewish community members is not the definition of a peaceful protest,” he said. “The idea they’re going to commandeer Sydney streets is not going to happen and I’m sure the NSW police will make that clear this morning.”
The NSW police deputy commissioner David Hudson said another rally planned for Sunday would be “unauthorised” and announced police had formed Operation Shelter to deal with the situation including further protests and safety concerns within the Jewish community.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Hudson said police were in negotiations with the pro-Palestinian event organisers but the group had submitted its application form outside the seven-day time limit required by police to authorise a march.
Hudson said the police “do not have the powers to stop people attending town hall” but people who attended would not have the usual protections from being charged with obstructing traffic and other offences.
Police would have the opportunity of taking the organisers to the supreme court to have the rally determined to be unlawful, he said.
Asked if the police would step in if anyone who attended the rally on Sunday made antisemitic slurs, Hudson said that would be an “operational decision” for police on the ground.
He said there was intelligence to suggest the protest could be bigger on Sunday than it was on Monday.
“Any protest is subject to be hijacked by other groups and that’s one of the ongoing concerns that we’re worried about,” Hudson said.
He said police had received criticism that there were not more arrests at the protest on Monday.
“Investigations into those matters are continuing. Identification of the individuals involved proved exceptionally difficult at the time,” he said.
Fahad Ali, a pro-Palestinian event organiser, said Palestinians had a right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
“We have a right to protest against the massacre in Gaza. We will be marching again this Sunday,” he posted on social media.
Fellow event organiser Amal Naser posted on Twitter that the group’s protest application – known as a “form one” – had been rejected by NSW police.
“This is a targeted political campaign to silence and criminalise dissent,” she said.
“If you want to disrupt the colonial and capitalist structures of this country, the political class will use their full force to stop you.”
She added: “We will be fighting this. This is not over.”
On Wednesday the premier also expressed his sadness that a Sydney-born grandmother living in Israel had been killed in the Hamas attack, after confirmation from the home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil.
Minns offered his “deepest sympathies” to the family of Galit Carbone, 66.
“I can only imagine what that family is going through. And I can only imagine what the pain that they’re feeling at this loss,” he said. “I’m sure most people in NSW and Australia are with that family as they go through this terrible grieving process.”
Minns said it was important not to suggest that the broader Muslim community was supportive of Hamas and that he had “many Muslim friends” who were “appalled” by both the conflict in the Middle East and Monday’s protest in Sydney.
The premier conceded he had not spoken to anyone from the Palestinian community in NSW.
The $10,000 decision to light the sails was made by Minns on Sunday after a request from the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
Police were present for the duration of the event on Monday.
The NSW police assistant commissioner, Tony Cooke, on Tuesday said he was aware the historic conflict was “a strongly emotive issue” and the force believed the best option was for them to manage the movement of people through the city.
He said he was “very disappointed” some people had ignited flares and police would review the CCTV to determine whether to arrest and charge anyone.
