Thousands of Australians are expected to take parts in demonstrations across the country on Monday to mark the first anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel.
Hamas terrorists invaded the Jewish state and slaughtered 1,200 Israelis on this day last year, sparking months of violent conflict in the Middle East
A vigil will be held in Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday by pro-Palestinian supporters, along with a rally at the Lakemba Mosque later in the evening.
Protests are also expected to kick off in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Thousands attended protests on Sunday ahead of the anniversary.
Follow Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage of the October 7 demonstrations here.
NSW Premier Chris Minns blasts October 7 protests as ‘grossly insensitive’
NSW Premier Chris Minns spoke out against the planned demonstrations on Monday.
‘I don’t think it is appropriate, that is my personal view,’ he said.
‘To hold a protest or a rally on a day when people were massacred on the other side of the world is grossly insensitive, in my opinion.’
Mr Minns also said the police would act on any vilification of the Jewish community.
‘We cannot allow a situation where permissive anti-Semitism creeps into the public dialogue because a certain group in our community believe that kind of racism is okay. It’s not okay,’ he said.
‘I want to make it clear that if there’s any breaches in protests, in public sermons, in speeches over this weekend, it will be met with very strict laws in Australia and in NSW in relation to hate speech.’
It is illegal in Australia to display symbols connected to a terrorist organisation or to display Nazi symbols like the swastika.
Palestine rallies are facing increased scrutiny after flags of Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, and framed pictures of its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, began to appear at rallies last weekend.
Barnaby Joyce questions if protesters know what happens to the gay community under Hamas
Barnaby Joyce has blasted those who take part in Pro-Palestinian rallies, claiming many are protesting just for the sake of it.
His comments came on the first anniversay of the October 7 attack on Israel, with Australia to see a string of protests across the country on Monday.
Speaking to Sunrise host Nat Barr, the Nationals MP said it was ‘ridiculous’ that certain groups were participating in the rallies.
‘Like, you know, people saying in the gay community supporting issues in Palestine or supporting Hamas, do they understand exactly what happens to people in the gay community under Hamas?’ Mr Joyce said on the breakfast show.
‘Do they comprehend exactly what they’re doing? And therefore, you pose the question, what is really behind this?’
Same-sex relationships are prohibited in Gaza
‘An understanding of the Palestinian situation, a real empathy. I’m absolutely certain there are people with that. Not a shadow of a doubt. I not for one second condoned them doing it on a day of this carnage that was inflicted by a terrorist group of musk,’ Mr Joyce continued.
‘But there are a lot of other people in there who are hangers on, and for them, that’s completely contemptible.’
