NSW Police apply to Supreme Court to stop planned pro-Palestine marches on October 7

From the Australian

Protests had been scheduled to go ahead in Sydney’s CBD on October 6 and October 7, with about 70,000 people expected to attend.

The two protests are being held to mark exactly one year after Hamas fighters killed more than 1200 people in Israel.

Following the attack, Israel commenced an invasion of Gaza, and later Lebanon.

Late on Tuesday, NSW Police confirmed officers “are not satisfied that the protest can proceed safely” following negotiations with protest organisers who had applied for a protest permit.

“Accordingly, the Commissioner has decided to apply to the NSW Supreme Court to prohibit the two assemblies,” a spokesman said. “The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the first priority for the NSW Police Force is the safety of the participants and the wider community.”

The decision comes after large scale protests were carried out in Sydney and Melbourne over the weekend following an Israeli air strike in Lebanon’s capital Beirut last week, which killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Several Sydney mosque leaders have since paid tribute to Nasrallah, remembering him as a “man who entered history” as a martyr.

On Tuesday, hundreds of mourners gathered at Al Rahman – also known as Masjid Arrahman – in Kingsgrove for a memorial service.

Extra chairs were placed outside of the mosque after too many people attended on Monday, leaving many to stand outside as the service was carried out.

According to The Australian, the mosque’s leaders at Al Rahman told hundreds of attendees that Nasrallah had been a “supporter of the oppressed” on Monday.

“When martyrs depart, they leave behind a timeless legacy of good deeds and reputation that (forges) a path for future generations who will carry forward the ideology and movement, and will shake the thrones of injustice everywhere,” one leader said in Arabic, which was translated by The Australian. “This is what our martyrs would have wanted so that their blood is not shed in vain…”

Meanwhile, mosque-goers attending a service at the Sayeda Zainab Centre in Banksia listened as centre leaders shared how the community was “indebted” to Nasrallah, whose death was one of the “greatest tragedies”.

“The blood of our martyrs are a testament of honour and we owe them all a great debt,” one of the centre’s leaders said, according to The Australian.

“We’re not talking about a normal person (Nasrallah), we are not talking about a (normal) jihadi leader. We are talking about a man who entered history.”

A similar service was also held at Al Zahra Masjid in Arncliffe since the news of Nasrallah’s death

As reported by the Mercury

Crowds have gathered at Sydney mosques to hold vigils for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in scenes that have been labelled ‘deeply disturbing’.

Al Zahra Mosque, in Arncliffe, also said on Facebook that it would be holding events over three days.

“Three days of mourning will be held … for the soul of the leader of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Sayed Hassan Nasrallah, the souls of the righteous martyrs who departed with him and all those who have been innocently slain as a result of the Zionist aggression in Lebanon and Palestine,” the post read.

All three Mosques are of Shia denomination, the dominant Muslim belief of Hezbollah.

Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin called the vigils “deeply disturbing”. “Hezbollah is an organisation that conducts terror operations using cells throughout the world to hit non-military targets including community centres, planes and embassies,” he said. “It is deeply disturbing to have pro-Hezbollah gatherings in our city. This goes to the heart of public safety and national security and it requires a strong police response.”

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed it would investigate “at least six reports of crime” relating to the rallies after reports people were carrying signs depicting Hezbollah imagery.