5m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:59am
Some of the views of Melbourne protesters
One Melbourne protester, who told the ABC she was a nurse, said she had been attending the protests regularly since the Israel-Gaza war began.
Protest placards highlighted deaths of children and healthcare workers in the war. (ABC News)
“We don’t see that hospitals and children and nurses and healthcare workers should be a target,” she said.
“Our coworkers in Palestine have been murdered, it just has to stop.”
Israel has faced criticism from human rights groups for launching strikes on hospitals during the war, which are meant to be protected under international humanitarian law.
The nation has claimed hospitals struck were being used by Hamas for military purposes.
Another protester, Zeina, said she was “sick and tired of seeing emaciated children on my screen every single day”.
Zeina backed the rally’s call for sanctions against Israel. (ABC News)
“Children dying, children being bombed, women crying for their dead children,” she said.
“Fathers looking for bread and being shot when they’re just trying to get basic needs for their children … it’s not ok.”
21m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:43am
📹: View of huge bridge rally from passing train
Now that protesters have been cleared from the Sydney Harbour Bridge, here’s another angle of the march that shows just how many people were in attendance.
Witness footage popped up online earlier, filmed from the window of a passing train that was travelling over the bridge as people were walking.
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29m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:36am
In pics: The police crowd control centre that monitored today’s protest
The NSW Police have shared an insight into how they kept a close eye on all of the events of today’s Sydney Harbour Bridge march.
Images have been released from inside the Police Operations Centre, which was tasked with managing the crowd as protesters made their way across the harbour bridge.
(Supplied: NSW Police)
(Supplied: NSW Police)35m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:30amMelbourne’s King Street Bridge has re-opened to traffic
The bridge at the centre of today’s Melbourne rally is no longer blocked to vehicles.
Traffic is now flowing freely on the King Street Bridge, VicRoads has confirmed.
36m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:28am
NSW Police to speak shortly
We’ve just received word from the NSW Police that a press conference is due to be held in the Sydney CBD from 5:15pm.
It’s expected that Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna will address today’s pro-Palestinian march alongside Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson and Transport for NSW’s Director of Operations Management, Craig Moran.
We’ll bring you the live updates from that address as it happens, here.
42m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:22amBridge towards Sydney CBD now cleared
We’re starting to get more of an idea of how the Sydney Harbour Bridge is looking after today’s rally.
Images fresh from Live Traffic NSW now show that the bridge on the city side is now clear of walkers.
(Supplied: Live Traffic NSW)
45m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:20am
Why some are saying they attended Melbourne’s rally
ABC news reporter Joseph Dunstan has been asking people at today’s Melbourne rally why they had chosen to attend.
Chris, who said he was a religious minister, was concerned “about what’s happening in Palestine, just concerned about the suffering that’s being caused”.
“My hope is that more governments, like our government, will speak up more strongly and do things that have real consequences for Israel,” he said.
(ABC News)1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 6:03amPolice ask protesters to halt amid ‘crowd crush’ fears
As we’ve reported, there appears to be some confusion over multiple NSW police orders for the march to be turned around.
Protesters were seen walking in both directions following the orders.
NSW Police has now released another statement asking protestors to stop walking across the bridge for safety reasons.
“Participants have been asked to stop proceeding across the bridge to avoid a crowd crush at the northern end of the harbour bridge,” it said.
“Once the procession has come to a halt, protestors will be asked to turn around and walk back toward Wynyard to avoid a risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part.
“Police believe the safest route back is to walk back across the bridge given the huge numbers to avoid overwhelming the public transport system and a potential crowd crush scenario.”
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:49amPolice orders disorient protesters on Sydney Harbour Bridge
There was confusion in the crowd as many attempted to return south over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, while others were still making their way northbound.
Authorities initially sent out a text saying the march needed to stop due to public safety concerns.
The message from NSW Police has since been updated with organisers and police looking to facilitate the return “in a controlled way in stages” to keep everyone safe.
It looks like that is starting to happen now.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:45am
📹: A bird’s-eye view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge march
The weather in Sydney cleared enough earlier for the news chopper to capture some footage of the crowd.
You can see the vision below.
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1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:41am
In pictures: Another angle of the Melbourne protest
Here are some more images taken from the Melbourne news chopper of the King Street Protest earlier.
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:32am
Crowd leaving Melbourne bridge
Most of the protesters are leaving the King Street Bridge but they remain as a large group, walking back through the CBD in the direction they came.
Dozens remain at the bridge, chanting “free free Palestine” and a woman yells “thank you for holding the line”.
Some hold flags, and many have medical style face masks.
There are constant loud speaker instructions from the group of “marshalls, step backwards” but the group isn’t leaving the bridge.
The busy CBD thoroughfare remains closed to traffic.
These photos were taken just before the larger group left.
(ABC News)
(ABC News)1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:23amSydney march needs to stop, police say
NSW Police has issued two geo-targeted alerts in the Sydney CBDÂ directed at protesters marching on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, saying the march needs to stop.
“In consultation with the organisers, the march needs to stop due to public safety and await further instructions,” police said in a post on X.
They have asked everyone on the bridge to stop walking north and turn back toward the city.
“… BUT it needs to be done in a controlled way in stages to keep everyone safe,” the SMS reads.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:12am
Hard to estimate Sydney crowd size, police media say
Police say they are unable to provide an immediate estimate of the numbers attending the harbour bridge protest march.
Organisers said in the lead up to the event they were expecting around 50,000 people to turn out.
A spokesperson for NSW Police Media said it was hard to estimate numbers while the protest was still underway.
“We may have a better idea by tomorrow,” they told the ABC .
However, police said due to crowd crush concerns they had decided to keep the bridge closed for longer so protesters could turn around at the end of the march and walk back across the bridge into the city.
(ABC News: Jack Fisher)
North Sydney Train station would remain open and operating but police expressed concerns about safety at the station due to the numbers of protesters.
“Due to the risk of a potential crowd crush scenario at the train station, we will now provide the option of allowing protesters to walk back across the bridge and disperse into the CBD,” Acting Police Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson said.
The Transport Management Centre told the ABC it was unclear how long the bridge would remain closed for.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 5:07am
Melbourne march arrives at police-barricaded King Street Bridge
The large crowd of protesters has reached King Street Bridge, where a heavy police presence has blocked off the rest of the roadway.
Some in front of the crowd are wearing eye protection and are spreading their arms. Othersare approaching the police officers, taking photos or otherwise trying to engage with them.
A rally speaker tells the crowd to remain calm and says they’re not going anywhere.
(ABC News: Joseph Dunstan)
(ABC News: Ben Knight)
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:57am
In pictures: Protesters cross Sydney Harbour Bridge
ABC photographer Jack Fisher is among the crowd on the harbour bridge right now.
Here are some of his photos from the scene.
(ABC News: Jack Fisher)
(ABC News: Jack Fisher)
(ABC News: Jack Fisher)
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:44am
📹: Assange, Foster carry banner across Sydney Harbour Bridge
(AAP: Dean Lewins)
We’ve just had vision come through of Julian Assange and Craig Foster helping to carry a banner across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Foster was one of the speakers in Lang Park earlier this afternoon.
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2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:38am
Public response team awaits Melbourne protesters
Police wearing riot gear have barricaded off King Street Bridge, where Melbourne’s rally is heading.
The protesters are not far off.
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:33am
March approaching Melbourne bridge
The protesters are continuing through Melbourne’s CBD and are about to reach King Street Bridge.Â
(ABC News)
(ABC News)
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:27am
March extends over Sydney Harbour Bridge
 As I mentioned earlier, the wet weather has made for poor visibility on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The traffic cams are struggling to capture much detail, but you can see the density of the crowd extending across the length of the bridge.
(NSW Government)