POLICE GRANTED SPECIAL POWERS
Thousands gathered in central Sydney on Monday to protest against Herzog’s visit to Australia, which comes after a mass shooting at a Jewish religious event at Bondi Beach in December that killed 15 people.
Police had been authorised to use rarely invoked powers during the protest, including directing crowds to move, restricting their entry to certain areas and searching vehicles. A legal challenge to those restrictions was dismissed by a Sydney court on Monday. Herzog was not present at the protest site.
Television footage showed some protesters trying to push through blockades as officers forced them back. Some were seen lying on the ground while police tried to restrain them.
Police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
New South Wales state Premier Chris Minns defended police actions, saying officers were required to make rapid decisions in tense and volatile situations, and urged calm.
“I understand there’s criticisms of New South Wales Police, I just want to make it clear they were caught in an impossible situation,” he told a press conference.
In a statement, the Palestine Action Group Sydney said protesters were unable to leave the event because they were surrounded by police on all sides.
“The police began charging the crowd with horses, indiscriminately pepper spraying the crowd, punching and arresting people,” the group said.
Abigail Boyd, an opposition Green lawmaker in the state parliament, said she had been punched by officers while attempting to vacate the site.
“I have a very sore arm and shoulder where they punched me. I’m really in shock,” she told a press conference.