The Free Palestine movement held a torch-lit rally outside the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, on Monday, October 9, 2023, following the Hamas attack on Israeli civilians, which prompted Israel to declare war on Gaza. Thus far, over 900 Israelis have been killed, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad claim to have abducted nearly 150 civilian hostages.
Protestors gathered at the rally and marched to the Sydney Opera House, which was lit up in blue and white in solidarity with Israel. Protesters threw flares at the iconic building and chanted “f..k Israel” and “f..k the Jews" and "Gas the Jews!" An Israeli flag was burned on the Opera House steps.
Australian authorities called for the Jewish community to avoid the area.
“It is hard to believe that an icon of Sydney was defiled in such a way with videos of protesters chanting “F*** the Jews”, burning Israeli flags and lighting and throwing flares. We are also aware of other incidents and are responding appropriately,” NSW JBD president David Ossip said.
“It is difficult to comprehend that this is happening in our home – here in Sydney. It is difficult to conceptualize that the Jewish community was today warned not to be present in the Sydney CBD this evening as a result of security concerns.”
Australian Jewish News reports that footage taken in Sydney’s southwest shows a pickup driver honking his car horn while a Palestinian flag was waved and fireworks were launched from inside the vehicle. The driver ran a red light at an intersection, forcing other traffic to stop. While not reported to police at the time, they have urged witnesses to come forward and contact Bankstown police or Crime Stoppers.
In Lakemba, hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the Hamas onslaught against Israel, chanting “Allahu Akbar.” One member of the crowd could be heard shouting, “I’m smiling and I’m happy. I’m elated,” and, “It’s a day of courage, it’s a day of pride, it’s a day of victory. This is the day we’ve been waiting for.”
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin described the western Sydney gathering as a “sickening display from people with no souls and no humanity … Worshippers of death, rape, and misery have no place in a civilized society.”
Describing reports of Hamas atrocities against Israelis in recent days, Ryvchin said, “We have all seen the horrific images and videos. Women stripped naked and paraded. Infant children taken from their parents, taunted and tormented by Palestinian kids. Bodies dragged and desecrated.”
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman condemned the Lakemba protesters.
“We are, I believe, the most successful multicultural community on the planet. That requires all of us to act with restraint and decency at this time,” he said.
“It was disappointing to see overnight and this morning people … celebrating barbarous acts of torture and murder. There is never an excuse for attacking civilians, let alone celebrating that attack. And I call on all decent Australians to reflect on that and support our Jewish community. This is about preferring humanity over barbarity.”