Pic - Protesters in Sydney march despite police violence ---- On Monday evening, February 9, tens of thousands of people gathered at the Sydney Town Hall to protest the visit of Israeli President, Isaac Herzog. Upwards of 40 thousand people were in attendance, and members of the prospective Sydney ACF branch joined the call to condemn Herzog and the Labor Government that invited, welcomed, and protected him as he toured the city. Many in the crowd were joining after work, and plenty we talked to had not been to many rallies previously. There were large numbers of older people, children, families, school and uni students, and members of various faith communities. Union flags were waving prominently throughout the crowd.
A palpable sense of rage and frustration ruled the crowd, which repeatedly burst into chants condemning Herzog, NSW Premier Chris Minns, and the NSW Police. Rightfully, people were extremely angry that the leader of a genocidal regime, a man who has personally signed the bombs dropped on the starving people of Gaza, was openly invited to our city by our own government. The state's refusal to allow any form of protest beyond a static rally approved by police-a rally that was prohibited from marching-provoked the rage it deserved. Two years of anger and tension as people continue to wonder how a genocide can be met with wilful ignorance boiled over on Monday evening.
It was this anger that spurred the crowd to march in defiance of the Supreme Court, state legislators, and the unprecedented brutality of the NSW Police. Chris Minns later blamed rally organisers for 'inciting the crowd'. This is obviously a lie, as most of the crowd were unable to even hear the speeches due to sound issues, especially at the fringes where protesters were pushing to march most vehemently. As 'move-on' orders were issued, people rallied in their own ways-our corner held the line against a wall of cops and horses, while others continued to chant, taking up space along the light rail line. From our perspective, it was clear that this eagerness to march was a unified display of indignation, not from a 'small group' of 'violent' protesters, as claimed by Minns, but from the majority of attendees.
After nearly half an hour, police began to arrest and assault protesters. A woman in the main crowd had her arm broken by officers; a man with his hands up faced blows to the chest as cops tackled him to the ground; a young person was pressed face-first into the tram tracks before being punched repeatedly in the face and torso by a cop kneeling on his back. Evidently, the real violence was at the hands of the police, not the protesters.
As protesters resisted the terror inflicted upon the fringes of the crowd, police began pushing to compress the rally, deploying pepper spray indiscriminately and shoving people to the ground. Mounted police pressed in behind the riot cops, causing a chaotic crowd crush situation as the rear of the rally was blocked by another police line. Comrades have reported being headbutted by horses, having glasses ripped from their face so that pepper spray can be used directly on their eyes, and being violently pulled from the crowd and separated from family to be arrested for no reason. Dozens of people around us appeared to have panic attacks as the situation escalated. Police officers smiled and visibly laughed with each other as they subjected us to state-sanctioned violence.
The crowd was eventually allowed to 'disperse' along George Street. An informal march reformed along the light rail line, chanting "arrest Herzog" over and over. As the march progressed, smaller groups followed behind, with a final group attempting to slow the fields of cops tailing the crowd. It was this group that faced the coordinated 'rush' manoeuvres that have been seen on social media, and comrades report being forced down side streets, chased into shops, and pushed violently into walls and onto the ground. Several people were arrested, with one comrade reportedly being refused medical aid during the five hours she was held in police custody. She told us:
"I was headbutted by a police horse... and a cop yelled verbatim, 'The horses will trample you' to people in the vicinity... I remember being tackled to the ground and put in handcuffs... I did not resist arrest and cooperated with the police instructions. My sister told me she asked the police where they were taking me and was severely distressed because I have MS and the cops appeared to be aggressive with me. The police did not tell my sister or anyone else who enquired where I would be detained... I didn't have perception of how much time I was being detained but I think I was vomiting for at least two hours. I repeatedly asked to see a first aid person but didn't get to see any first aid people."
Multiple veteran organisers have said it was the worst, most brutal behaviour they had ever seen from NSW police. Chris Minns' and Albanese's exhortations of 'social cohesion' have been revealed to be nothing more than a smokescreen for their intent to smash grassroots political dissent and opposition to Israel. A war criminal walks the streets of Sydney, and somehow the protesters are the problem. Thousands of people at the rally, and tens of thousands more on social media, saw the mask slip from the face of the government to reveal its inhumane reality, and thus the inhumane reality of a capitalist system. This will have been a radicalising experience for many.
A radicalising experience, however, can only affect change if people are organised. With better organisation, we can coordinate backup plans for when a crowd inevitably pushes to march, whether organisers officially intend to do so or not. We can ensure that messages are passed effectively through crowds, and that isolated attendees are protected by organised blocs that can defend against police brutality. We can ensure that more people are briefed before rallies by experienced organisers, and are able to debrief afterwards to learn from their experiences (whether traumatic or empowering). As organised anarchists, we can intervene strategically in the campaign groups that lead and prepare for these events, putting forward clear positions in favour of coordinated, effective, mass defiance of protest restrictions.
In many ways, this rally was a success. Despite aggravated police violence, our organised strength in numbers allowed us to push back against repression and make a powerful statement. It also showed us that without organisation, we are powerless in the face of state repression. It should be a wake-up call for anyone who does not have a political home. Standing witness to the glee with which cops forced us into danger, fear, and panic will have left many with a bitter taste. But as the pepper spray clears, know that you can talk to your coworkers and the community around you about this experience. I have, and they were all too willing to offer support. Organise to join future rallies as members of your union, or with us as organised anarchists under the banner of the ACF.
Touch one, touch all. Do not face violence alone-only when we stand together, in solidarity, can we take the streets. None of us are free until we are all free.
https://ancomfed.org/2026/02/no-welcome-for-war-criminals/
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Link: (en) Australia, AnComFed, Picket Line - No welcome for war criminals (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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