Australia police weigh special powers ahead of pro-Palestinian protest. As tensions increase following the murderous Hamas foray into Israel, Australian police are considering using extraordinary stop-and-search powers for the first time in over two decades for attendees of a pro-Palestinian protest on Sunday.
State police in New South Wales (NSW) said they had sought legal guidance on special police powers that have not been used since racial riots in 2005 and that permit officers to search march attendees in Sydney and demand their IDs without a warrant.
Acting Commissioner Dave Hudson said these are unprecedented powers during a press conference on Friday. “If they fail to do so, it is an offense.
Over 400 people are expected to join the march in Sydney’s Hyde Park, according to police. The demonstration’s strategy has come under scrutiny after video from a similar group’s protest on Monday revealed demonstrators yelling, “Gas the Jews.” According to the organizers, attendees from a fringe group of “vile” antisemites were asked to leave.
The Palestine Action Group Sydney, which organized the demonstration, declared that it would proceed without police approval and supported the right to protest in response to pleas from various politicians for the event to be called off.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations are being curtailed in industrialized nations worldwide due to concerns that domestic unrest may result from the Israel-Hamas war. On Thursday, France declared that pro-Palestinian demonstrations would certainly “generate disturbances to public order” and hence would be prohibited.
Three males were detained by the police on Friday after saluting the Nazi anthem outside Sydney’s Jewish Museum of Australia, according to the media.
State Premier Chris Minns stated during a news conference: “I expect, and so do NSW Police, that the full extent of the law will be applied to those people.” Australia’s intelligence head has warned about the potential for violence and requested that people temper their language to avoid escalating tensions.
Comment Template