A plan to shut down the Sydney Harbour Bridge for a weekend protest has been halted.
Premier Chris Minns has told pro-Palestinian protesters that they had not given enough notice, but they say they are happy to wait.
Demonstrators take to the streets of Sydney every Sunday.
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As images of starvation in Gaza shock the world, organisers wanted the Harbour Bridge to be the stage for a mass protest this weekend.
Minns was quick to shut down the idea on the advice of police.
“We cannot support a protest of this scale, especially with one week’s notice,” he said.
“We cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos.”
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The opposition sided with the premier, with leader Mark Speakman saying “they should not be taking over the Harbour Bridge”.
In 2000, 250,000 people marched across the bridge in support of reconciliation.
In 2023, Hollywood got the nod for filming Fall Guy with Ryan Gosling, and the same year for World Pride.
The main argument against the rally is that there’s not enough time to safely organise it for the bridge.
The premier and police said they would support it at another location or time, with organisers offering a plan to push it back another week.
If the protesters get their wish, there’s no doubt the demonstration on the famous coat hanger will attract global headlines.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action Group confirmed it has filed a Form 1 notifying NSW Police of the planned “March for Humanity”.
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“We call on everyone, every individual and every organisation, who cannot bear to do nothing in the face of this atrocity, to join with us,” Palestine Action Group said in a statement.
“As Australia’s most iconic symbol, a mass march across the Harbour Bridge will send a powerful message to the world, to Gaza, and to Israel, that we are determined to stand up for humanity.”
It will mark the first time pro-Palestine protesters will bring their weekly march to the bridge in the nearly two years since the Israel-Hamas conflict began with the October 7, 2023 attacks.
NSW Police initially attempted to block a vigil in Sydney’s CBD last October to mark one year since the October 7 attacks.
Police later decided to withdraw their application to stop the protest.
A spokesperson for NSW Police told 9news.com.au it is “aware of the proposed planned assembly on Sunday”.
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“Officers from Sydney City Police Area Command have received a Form 1 from organisers and are consulting relevant stakeholders,” the spokesperson said.
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