NSW Police Seek to Halt Pro-Palestine March on Harbour Bridge

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New South Wales (NSW) Police plan to block a pro-Palestine march across Sydney Harbour Bridge, prompting criticism from two Labor Members of Parliament (MPs) who accuse Premier Chris Minns of undermining protest rights.

New South Wales (NSW) Police, led by the Acting Commissioner, announced on July 29, 2025, their intent to seek a Supreme Court order to declare a planned pro-Palestine march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on August 3 unlawful, citing public safety concerns. The Palestine Action Group, expecting up to 50,000 participants, lodged a Form 1 application to march, aiming to protest starvation in Gaza. Premier Chris Minns opposed the plan, stating to ABC News that closing the bridge, a critical infrastructure artery, risks “chaos” and significant disruption, a stance echoed by Opposition Leader Mark Speakman, who told The Guardian that alternative venues should be used.

The decision drew criticism from two Labor MPs, including Anthony D’Adam, who was sacked from his parliamentary secretary role for previously challenging police tactics at pro-Palestine rallies. D’Adam told Guardian Australia he sympathized with arguments about insufficient notice but urged facilitation of the march, emphasizing its humanitarian intent. The Palestine Action Group’s spokesperson, Josh Lees, accused Minns of interfering with police operations, asserting to AAP that the group complied with the one-week notice requirement and would fight any court challenge to protect citizens’ protest rights.

NSW Police highlighted the logistical challenges, with the Acting Commissioner noting to reporters that prior bridge closures, like the 2023 World Pride march, required months of planning. He stressed that combining protesters with high-speed traffic is a “recipe for disaster,” a view supported by Police Association of NSW President Kevin Morton, who told The Leader that such risks endanger officers. Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore backed the march’s symbolism but suggested alternative planning, per SBS News.

The Albanese government, while not directly involved, faces scrutiny for its stance on Gaza, with Minns’ opposition to weekly protests criticized as a drain on public resources. The debate underscores tensions between public safety and protest rights, with the Palestine Action Group vowing to pursue legal avenues to ensure their message reaches a global audience, highlighting the ongoing Gaza crisis where the World Health Organization reports ongoing malnutrition-related deaths.