Videos of police abusing pro-Palestinian protesters have emerged from Sydney, Australia following the visit by Isaac Herzog, Israel’s President. The clash in which countless protestors sustained injuries from police assault resulted in at least 27 arrests and caused outrage across the country. The visit is ostensibly part of a government effort to unite the country after a deadly antisemitic attack in December. However it has only deepened divisions by blurring antisemitism with the pro-Palestine movement while conflating Israel’s actions with global Jewry.
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has defended police actions, while admitting the videos don’t “look good.” The police and State government justified the violent shoving, punching and use of pepper spray by claiming it was necessary for the protection of Jewish mourners and Herzog.
The increased protection of the Israeli president as he attends Jewish communities follows the tragic antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach in December. This was used to justify widespread road closures and the decision to grant ‘special powers’ to police during Herzog’s visit, under the state’s ‘major event’ laws. Protest organisers attempted to challenge the legal decision by arguing that the judgement inappropriately suppressed a protest and the visit did not constitute an ‘event.’ The protesters left their gathering outside Town Hall before extending their march to areas excluded by authorities when the clash erupted. Footage shows police dragging away Muslim men praying and repeatedly punching various men, some of whom were already restrained.
The New York Times has described the political situation in the nation as a ‘Tinder Box’ as the government scrambled to support the Jewish population following the attack. During his visit, Herzog raised criticisms about Australia’s failures to listen to his concerns about increasing antisemitism in the country since pro-Palestine protests have increased. Instead, the government is now facing an increasing divide of hate in the country. This can’t be treated by attempting to simultaneously appease both the Jewish community seeking safety and pro-Palestinian protestors seeking boycotts and justice.
What Minns has described as the “impossible situation” of police on 9 February is comparable to the general position that the Australian government is now in. It is no surprise that the government is scrambling to ensure the Jewish community is safe after the nation’s most deadly shooting in almost 30 years. However, the invitation of Herzog has only created further division. In September last year Anthony Albanese, Australia’s Prime Minister, formally recognised the Palestinian State following consistent protests and calls for diplomatic boycotting. Albanese’s attempts to strike a balance on the issue has become more apparent after welcoming Herzog, before later pressing him for transparency over the Gaza strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. The political divisions about the issue have also become clearer when at least one Independent MP boycotted question time in protest of the visit.
Questions about the role that pro-Palestine movements played in the Bondi Shooting have been at the forefront of conversations across the nation. The choice to welcome Herzog, and police reactions to the protest on the evening of the 9th has only enhanced a narrative that conflates disapproval felt towards Israeli state actions with aggression towards Australia’s Jewish community. This risks increased social division and confuses an opinion on political conflict and religious discrimination.
The Jewish Council of Australia’s executive officer Sarah Schwartz said that the invitation of Herzog “risks entrenching the dangerous and antisemitic conflation between Jewish identity and the actions of the Israeli state.”
Chris Sidoti, member of the UN Commission of Inquiry into Israeli’s actions, said that Albanese would have been better off inviting a religious leader to support the Jewish community. Instead, the unmistakable conflict and graphic video footage has only highlighted how the government perceives the pro-Palestine movement as a risk to the Jewish community.
At a critical moment when grief, anger and hostility is circulating across Australia, the government has made their position more difficult. The footage of aggression towards protestors and the invitation of Herzog as a symbol of Jewish representation could place the Jewish community at more risk and further amplify fear, frustration and social divisions.
“Chris Minns MP (cropped)” by Lachlan Hyde is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Protest and Police Brutality: Australia’s Disastrous Herzog Visit
Videos of police abusing pro-Palestinian protesters have emerged from Sydney, Australia following the visit by Isaac Herzog, Israel’s President. The clash in which countless protestors sustained injuries from police assault resulted in at least 27 arrests and caused outrage across the country. The visit is ostensibly part of a government effort to unite the country after a deadly antisemitic attack in December. However it has only deepened divisions by blurring antisemitism with the pro-Palestine movement while conflating Israel’s actions with global Jewry.
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has defended police actions, while admitting the videos don’t “look good.” The police and State government justified the violent shoving, punching and use of pepper spray by claiming it was necessary for the protection of Jewish mourners and Herzog.
The increased protection of the Israeli president as he attends Jewish communities follows the tragic antisemitic shooting at Bondi Beach in December. This was used to justify widespread road closures and the decision to grant ‘special powers’ to police during Herzog’s visit, under the state’s ‘major event’ laws. Protest organisers attempted to challenge the legal decision by arguing that the judgement inappropriately suppressed a protest and the visit did not constitute an ‘event.’ The protesters left their gathering outside Town Hall before extending their march to areas excluded by authorities when the clash erupted. Footage shows police dragging away Muslim men praying and repeatedly punching various men, some of whom were already restrained.
The New York Times has described the political situation in the nation as a ‘Tinder Box’ as the government scrambled to support the Jewish population following the attack. During his visit, Herzog raised criticisms about Australia’s failures to listen to his concerns about increasing antisemitism in the country since pro-Palestine protests have increased. Instead, the government is now facing an increasing divide of hate in the country. This can’t be treated by attempting to simultaneously appease both the Jewish community seeking safety and pro-Palestinian protestors seeking boycotts and justice.
What Minns has described as the “impossible situation” of police on 9 February is comparable to the general position that the Australian government is now in. It is no surprise that the government is scrambling to ensure the Jewish community is safe after the nation’s most deadly shooting in almost 30 years. However, the invitation of Herzog has only created further division. In September last year Anthony Albanese, Australia’s Prime Minister, formally recognised the Palestinian State following consistent protests and calls for diplomatic boycotting. Albanese’s attempts to strike a balance on the issue has become more apparent after welcoming Herzog, before later pressing him for transparency over the Gaza strike that killed Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom. The political divisions about the issue have also become clearer when at least one Independent MP boycotted question time in protest of the visit.
Questions about the role that pro-Palestine movements played in the Bondi Shooting have been at the forefront of conversations across the nation. The choice to welcome Herzog, and police reactions to the protest on the evening of the 9th has only enhanced a narrative that conflates disapproval felt towards Israeli state actions with aggression towards Australia’s Jewish community. This risks increased social division and confuses an opinion on political conflict and religious discrimination.
The Jewish Council of Australia’s executive officer Sarah Schwartz said that the invitation of Herzog “risks entrenching the dangerous and antisemitic conflation between Jewish identity and the actions of the Israeli state.”
Chris Sidoti, member of the UN Commission of Inquiry into Israeli’s actions, said that Albanese would have been better off inviting a religious leader to support the Jewish community. Instead, the unmistakable conflict and graphic video footage has only highlighted how the government perceives the pro-Palestine movement as a risk to the Jewish community.
At a critical moment when grief, anger and hostility is circulating across Australia, the government has made their position more difficult. The footage of aggression towards protestors and the invitation of Herzog as a symbol of Jewish representation could place the Jewish community at more risk and further amplify fear, frustration and social divisions.
“Chris Minns MP (cropped)” by Lachlan Hyde is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
Share this:
Like this:
Related