{"id":171437,"date":"2025-08-24T10:15:44","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T10:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/171437\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T10:15:44","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T10:15:44","slug":"tens-of-thousands-protest-in-nationwide-action-against-war-in-gaza","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/171437\/","title":{"rendered":"Tens of thousands protest in nationwide action against war in Gaza"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been held across the country today, with organisers claiming crowd numbers to be in the tens of thousands.<\/p>\n

The Palestine Action Group said more than 100,000 people attended the Melbourne rally, while an estimated 50,000 turned out in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

\"palestine<\/p>\n

Thousands of people turned out in Brisbane to protest the war in Gaza. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)<\/p>\n

It comes as famine has been declared in an area of Gaza and will likely spread over the next month<\/a>, a global hunger monitor has determined.<\/p>\n

Jump to see what’s happening in these capital cities.<\/p>\n

Brisbane<\/p>\n

The Palestine Action Group says the city had one of the largest turn outs, with about 50,000 attendees in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

The Queensland Police Service disputes those figures and Acting Assistant Commissioner Rhys Widlman said police were confident of their estimate that 10,000 people attended the protest.<\/p>\n

“We know, for a fact, that you can fit 7,000 people at a maximum inside that park [Queen’s Gardens],” he said.<\/p>\n

“The fact that the park was full and the fact that some of the crowd spilled out into the surrounding roadways \u2026 is a very good indication for us that we know it’s 10,000.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Queenslanders filled out Brisbane\u2019s Queens Park in the CBD ahead of their march to Musgrave Park in West End. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

\"protest<\/p>\n

Protestors marched an alternate route, after the courts struck down their planned march across the Story Bridge. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

People gathered in Queens Gardens shortly after 1pm with the crowd spilling into Elizabeth, George and William streets, forcing road closures around the CBD.<\/p>\n

Representatives from several unions, including the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), which represents journalists, attended.<\/p>\n

\"aerial<\/p>\n

Tens of thousands marched in Brisbane against the war in Gaza. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

\"palestine<\/p>\n

The protest lasted a number of hours. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, Brisbane organisers agreed to take a different route<\/a> \u2014 from Queens Gardens to Musgrave Park \u2014 after a magistrate blocked them from walking across the Story Bridge.<\/p>\n

Greens leader and Queensland senator Larissa Waters spoke to the media at Queens Park in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

\"larissa<\/p>\n

Greens leader Larissa Waters speaking to media at the march. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

“There are so many people here calling for peace, calling for sanctions on Israel just like we have on Russia, and calling for an end to the two-way arms trade,” Senator Waters said.<\/p>\n

“Australians are horrified that we are selling weapons components to the Israeli government; it’s got to stop.<\/p>\n

“I think after the Sydney march just a couple of weeks ago, which saw the government change position, I’m really hopeful that with the amazing turnout today across the country the government will feel the pressure.”<\/p>\n

Other speakers included members of Brisbane’s Palestinian community and former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather.<\/p>\n

\"palestine<\/p>\n

Thousands of people marched in Brisbane from the CBD to Musgrave Park in West End. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)<\/p>\n

The Brisbane march ran into some counter-protesters on its way to Musgrave Park.<\/p>\n

ABC Radio Brisbane reporter Kenji Sato snapped a few photos.<\/p>\n

A counter-protester has been escorted away by police after snatching a Palestinian flag from a protester.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A counter-protester was escorted away by police after snatching a Palestinian flag. (ABC News: Kenji Sato)<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

A few counter-protesters were present on the Brisbane rally’s route.\u00a0 (ABC News: Kenji Sato)<\/p>\n

Melbourne<\/p>\n

People swarmed the streets of the Melbourne CBD, with the crowd estimated at 100,000 people, according to organisers.<\/p>\n

Police estimated a much lower number of 10,000 people, and a spokesperson said officers were “investigating reports of two smoke emitters being spotted in the crowd”.<\/p>\n

Organisers said today’s demonstration marked the 97th consecutive rally held in the city to support Gaza’s Palestinians.<\/p>\n

Bruce McPhate said he had always been a supporter of an independent Palestinian state, but what drove him to participate in today’s rally was the impact of the Gaza war on children.<\/p>\n

“What brought me here today is just the number of children being killed day after day after day,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

he said.<\/p>\n

“Anywhere else in the world it’s never been acceptable and I just felt I needed to come here today to make that point.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Bruce McPhate said he was driven to participate in the rally due to the impact of the Gaza war on children.<\/p>\n

Sydney<\/p>\n

Thousands of people gathered for the rally in Sydney, which began with speeches at Hyde Park, followed by a march to Belmore Park.<\/p>\n

While the crowd is not as large as the rally across the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this month<\/a>, the weather is much better, apart from some grey skies.<\/p>\n

Loading…<\/p>\n

Organisers are yet to release their own estimate of crowd numbers.<\/p>\n

Former Australian of the year Grace Tame gave a passionate speech at the rally in Sydney.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the crowd at Hyde Park, Ms Tame began by asking protesters: “who is ready to resist?”<\/p>\n

“There is another force that power responds to, it is public pressure,”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

she said.<\/p>\n

“If we can get 300,000 to block the bridge we can get three million.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Speaking to the crowd, Grace Tame began by asking protesters: “who is ready to resist?” (ABC News)<\/p>\n

Journalist Antoinette Lattouf addressed the rally and condemned the killing of more than 180 journalists and media workers since the beginning of the war.<\/p>\n

“They are part of a devastating pattern,” she said.<\/p>\n

“One hundred and eighty-four Palestinian journalists and media workers slain since October 2023, compared to 18 in the entire Russia-Ukraine war.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Antoinette Latouf condemned the killing of journalists during the war in Gaza. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

Lattouf, who won an unlawful termination case against the ABC earlier this year, also took aim at Australian media coverage of the conflict.<\/p>\n

“Western media continues to treat Palestinian lives as expendable, and Palestinian journalists as disposable; that it will be remembered not as a witness, but as an accomplice.”<\/p>\n

Almost 100,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge earlier this month after a court threw out a police challenge.<\/p>\n

Canberra<\/p>\n

Rallies across the country began at staggered times, with Canberra among the first to get underway.<\/p>\n

About 2,000 people gathered in Civic Square for what was described as a “largely peaceful” protest.<\/p>\n

An ABC journalist reported a man being escorted away by police as fellow protesters chanted “let him go”.<\/p>\n

\"Canberra<\/p>\n

Canberra’s protest was largely peaceful and tensions de-escalated quickly. (ABC News: Emmy Groves)<\/p>\n

Among the speakers at the Canberra rally was independent senator David Pocock.<\/p>\n

“As a middle power, we can and must be doing more,” he said.<\/p>\n

“This is something that I’ve heard from Canberrans on more than any other issue in the last three years.<\/p>\n

“People care. People care deeply, and they want a government that’s actually going to listen and then act.”<\/p>\n

Loading…<\/p>\n

He questioned what the federal government’s threshold was for imposing stronger sanctions against Israel.<\/p>\n

“Today we call on our government to have the guts to do more. Do more as a middle power \u2014 put sanctions on [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the Israeli government.”<\/p>\n

Hobart<\/p>\n

Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Hobart.<\/p>\n

The crowd, which stretched for several blocks, made its way through the city to Franklin Square.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Thousands of people march through the streets of Hobart. (ABC News: Monty Jacka)<\/p>\n

A banner reading, “ningina milaythina LAND BACK” was carried at the front of the march by Tasmanian Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff, Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds and independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie, along with protest leaders.<\/p>\n

\"Rosalie<\/p>\n

A number of local leaders marched. (ABC News: Monty Jacka)<\/p>\n

Perth<\/p>\n

Tens of thousands gathered in the Perth city centre to show their support for the Palestinian people.<\/p>\n

Organisers estimated about 25,000 people marched.<\/p>\n

Some had signs calling for sanctions on Israel and to end the siege of Gaza.<\/p>\n

\"Perth<\/p>\n

Hundreds have gathered in the Perth city centre to show their support. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

Adelaide<\/p>\n

In Adelaide, thousands of protesters gathered outside Parliament House for the March for Palestine.<\/p>\n

Demonstrators marched from Victoria Square through the heart of the city, chanting “Free Palestine” as they were escorted by police.<\/p>\n

\"Protesters<\/p>\n

Demonstrators marched from Victoria Square through the heart of the city chanting ‘Free Palestine’ and were escorted by police. (ABC News)<\/p>\n

Organisers estimated about 15,000 demonstrators attended today’s rally; however, police estimated the turnout was 5,000 people.<\/p>\n

Senator Fatima Payman and Robert Martin, who was taken into custody by Israeli troops on board an aid ship bound for Gaza earlier this year, addressed crowds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been held across the country today, with organisers claiming crowd numbers to be in the…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":171438,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4740,70,99,50,4851,97915],"class_list":{"0":"post-171437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-australia","9":"tag-gaza","10":"tag-israel","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-palestine","13":"tag-palestine-protest"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115083224931871422","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}