SYDNEY / PNN /
In an extraordinary scene described by media outlets as "the largest demonstration in Australian history," hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Sydney on Sunday. They crossed the city’s iconic Harbour Bridge, calling for an end to what they described as genocide and a systematic famine in the Gaza Strip. The mass rally was organized by the Palestine Action Group – Sydney.
Protest organizers said the massive turnout sent a resounding message of opposition to international silence and alleged Western government complicity.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange also attended; he has become a global symbol for exposing war crimes and government collusion. Australian Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi and Bob Carr, a former premier of New South Wales, were among other notable participants, along with students, Palestinian activists, labor union members, artists and human rights organizations from diverse backgrounds.
Shamikh Badra, a Palestinian activist and leader of the Palestinian People’s Party, said, “This demonstration is not merely a protest, but a moral and humanitarian stance affirming support for the Palestinian people in Gaza, who have been suffering genocide and a deliberate war of starvation perpetrated by the Israeli occupation for nearly two years.” He added, “The voice raised today over Sydney’s Harbour Bridge has resonated around the world with a clear message: ‘Stop the massacres, hold the criminals accountable and support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.’”
Police tried to block the march from crossing the bridge, citing safety and transport concerns. But the New South Wales Supreme Court later ruled the ban unlawful and formally allowed the protest to proceed, Reuters reported.
Dubbed the “March for Humanity: Save Gaza,” the demonstration carried a powerful symbolic message as participants traversed Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, symbolizing Australians’ determination to stand with Gaza.
In a rare display, announcements at train stations used loudspeakers to salute Palestine and the demonstrators — a gesture captured by media and seen as an open expression of public support.
Demonstrators used kitchen pots and food bowls as symbols of the famine ravaging Gaza’s population, a powerful image that drew widespread attention in the media and on social platforms.
Protesters demanded an immediate end to Israeli attacks in Gaza, the lifting of the siege and an end to the policy of starvation. They also called for Israel to be held accountable for war crimes and for international sanctions to be imposed on the occupation, stressing the importance of supporting the Palestinian people’s freedom and their right to self-determination.
