300,000-Strong Protest on Sydney Streets

TEHRAN (Defapress) - Over 300,000 people in Sydney held a magnificent march in cold and rainy weather to protest Israel’s genocide and show solidarity with the people of Gaza.

The epic pro-Palestine demonstration at 11:30 AM local time caused heavy traffic in the city center. Around 3 PM, police ordered the march to stop via mass text messages sent to citizens' phones. The message read: "The march must cease for safety reasons. Await further instructions."

Meanwhile, a police helicopter flew over the protesters, ordering the crowd to return home. Minutes later, police sent a second text: "We urge everyone to refrain from moving toward the northern part of the city."

Civil Disobedience Against Israel

Before the march began, Australian Senator Mehreen Faruqi delivered a passionate speech to the crowd. Faruqi, a staunch critic of the Australian federal government’s policies on Israel, praised the protesters for their "civil disobedience."

Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, had earlier opposed the march, stating: "We cannot allow Sydney to descend into chaos."

Mehreen Faruqi told the protesters: "Thank you for disobeying Chris Minns. He is the one who wants you to stay home and remain silent in the face of genocide. The government’s opposition to this march had nothing to do with security or traffic. Their goal, as always, was to protect Israel’s interests and silence us."

Australian police had opposed the march under the pretext of traffic and security concerns. However, on Saturday, the New South Wales Supreme Court overturned the police directive and ruled in favor of allowing the protest.

Julian Assange Shines Among Protesters

A spokesperson for the Palestine Action Group, citing police estimates, said the crowd exceeded 300,000 people. Celebrities such as Ming-Zhu Hii (actor), Craig Foster (former national team player and Australian of the Year) were among the prominent figures at the march.

Meanwhile, the appearance of Julian Assange, the renowned journalist and founder of WikiLeaks, who has rarely been seen in public since his extradition to Australia, drew widespread attention. Assange was spotted alongside Robert John Carr, the former Premier of New South Wales and ex-Australian Foreign Minister. Last week, Assange had urged the Australian government to sanction Benjamin Netanyahu and swiftly recognize the Palestinian state.

Ed Husic, a Labor MP and former federal minister, stated: "Today, people power was on display. Australians cannot tolerate Israel’s treatment of Palestinian children."

One protester told The Guardian Australia: "I am a member of the Jewish community and grew up in North London. Zionism has a deep influence on Jewish society, making it hard to separate from religion. That’s why Jewish voices must rise up and condemn the Israeli government, to show that it does not represent all Jews."

A Shift in the Tide in the West

Philomena McGoldrick, an Australian nurse who previously worked in Gaza, expressed heartbreak over images of starving children, saying: "Innocent babies have no color, religion, or language. My heart is broken, but meeting people standing on the right side of history is uplifting. The tide is turning."

Meanwhile, pro-Palestine protesters attempting to block the King Street Bridge in Melbourne’s city center were met with preemptive police action. Officers, equipped with riot gear and multiple trucks, had already barricaded the area.

It is worth noting that Stephen Lawrence, Anthony D’Adam, Linda Voltz, Cameron Murphy, and Sarah Kaine were among 15 prominent New South Wales politicians who, on Thursday night, signed an open letter urging the federal government to facilitate the protest march.