Thousands of protesters have gathered in capital cities across the country on Saturday to rally in support of Palestine as violence continues to escalate in the Middle East.
Pro-Palestine rallies are being held in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth on Saturday while a vigil is being held in Hobart.
As many as 10,000 people were expected to march through Sydney’s CBD today, in what the event organisers Palestine Action Group Sydney have hailed as a “massive turnout”.
Saturday’s march in Sydney comes after “two weeks of attempted state suppression” directed at Palestinian people, organisers said.
“The state knows that we will show up in our masses and no matter how much they try, they cannot suppress popular support for the Palestinian people,” they said in a statement.
“We call on our allies to stand with members of the Palestinian and Jewish communities and to stand in solidarity against the war and genocide on Gaza.”
Organisers also urged attendees not to interact with counter-protesters, who may try to “provoke” people at the rally.
Protesters in Sydney gathered at Sydney Town Hall at 1pm before the crowd marched to Belmore Park.
Organisers praised the respectful behaviour of protesters, after a “massive and peaceful demonstration of 10,000 people” was held in Hyde Park last weekend.
The rally in Brisbane, organised by Justice for Palestine Meanjin, will take place at King George Square at 2pm local time.
It is expected thousands of people will participate in what organisers have described as one of the “saddest, most important marches” to be held in the city.
A vigil was also held in Hobart on Saturday, taking place outside the Hobart Town Hall at 11am.
Rallies will be held in Melbourne and Adelaide on Sunday, while a protest in the national capital will take place on Wednesday at the National Press Club.
Vigils and forums were also held in Sydney and Canberra on Friday, as well as outside the US Consulate in Perth on Wednesday.
On Saturday, the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) urged Australians to unite their voices in a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We urgently need a flood of voices TODAY to get supplies to Gaza and end the Israeli attacks,” APAN said in an online statement.
Organisers have been adamant that hate speech or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated at the rallies, with police establishing a visible presence at the events.
This comes after attendees at a protest outside the Sydney Opera House were recorded chanting anti-Semitic slogans last week.
Graphic images and footage continue to emerge online as violence escalates in Gaza, triggering mass peace protests all around the world.
Massive rallies have been held in Europe, Asia, the United States and in the Middle East, as attendees call for an end to violence in the region.
Saturday marks two weeks since Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1400 people.
Since then, authorities in Gaza estimate Israeli air and artillery strikes have killed at least 4000 people.
Calls for peace have become more widespread this week after hundreds of Palestinians were killed in a hospital explosion in Gaza on Tuesday.
The cause of the explosion is still unknown as Hamas blamed an Israeli air strike, while Israel pointed to a failed rocket launched by a Palestinian group.
Israel is currently preparing to launch a ground war in the Gaza, aimed at eradicating Hamas.
APAN was contacted for comment.
