Pro-Palestine protesters have descended on the Melbourne and Sydney CBDs on the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel.
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protesters → descend → Israel
The co-ordinated bloody surprise attack on a music festival and the surrounding communities in southern Israel was carried out by the group which controls Gaza.
The terrorists killed about 1,200 people, mostly innocent civilians, which in turn triggered a massive, long-running bombing campaign from Israel on Palestine as retaliation.
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which → co → retaliation
Splinter pro-Palestine groups in Australia organised the vigils to coincide with the anniversary in Sydney and Melbourne, while some other pro-Palestine groups were opposed to them being held on the date.
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them → organise → date
In Melbourne, tensions between demonstrators and police quickly flared as a rival Israeli group held a counter-protest.
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group → flare → protest
Pictures from the scene show protesters, notably Israeli activist and broadcaster Avi Yemini screaming at officers.
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protesters → show → officers
The event in Sydney was notably less chaotic, with a crowd of no more than 150 and speakers reading poetry to the crowd.
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event → read → crowd
Though it followed weeks of criticism from politicians, including Premier Chris Minns labelling the vigils 'heartless'.
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it → follow → vigils
The 'Vigil for Gaza' outside Town Hall, organised by Jews Against the Occupation '48 and supported by a number of pro-Palestine groups, was promoted under the slogan 'Don't Let Israel Steal the Date'.
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Israel → organise → Date
Promotional material for the event stated that 'its genocidal airstrikes began on October 7th 2023' and called for a vigil to mark the date in solidarity with Gaza.
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airstrikes → state → Gaza
Pro-Palestine protesters were seen clashing with police in Melbourne on Wednesday, October 7
A large police presence watched over the vigil in Melbourne CBD
The event was held to mark the third anniversary of the October 7 attack Hamas launched on Israel in 2023
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Hamas → see → 2023
The decision to hold the vigil on the anniversary also drew fierce criticism from NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane who weighed in on the issue on Tuesday.
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who → hold → Tuesday
Sloane urged the NSW Government to oppose the event, describing it as insensitive and deliberately provocative.
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Sloane → urge → it
'It is inappropriate, it is sickening, it is cruel, and it's provocative to be holding these events on October 7,' she said.
'To do it on any other day would show a little bit of credibility.
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do → hold → credibility
To do it on this day shows their true motivation, which is to provoke, which is to make people feel uneasy, and that is not on.
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that → show → motivation
'At a time when we all need to be coming together and respectfully sharing opinions, this is the antithesis of that.
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this → need → that
Minns was just as scathing and condemned the Sydney vigil, describing the event as 'heartless', while acknowledging authorities had no legal basis to prevent it from proceeding.
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authorities → condemn → it
'There are some people suggesting it can be stopped.
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it → be → ?
The Constitution doesn't allow that,' Minns said.
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Minns → allow → that
They can certainly do that.
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They → do → that
It's not against the law, but, as a citizen, I've got a right to make a judgement on it, too.
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I → get → it
Organisers claimed the events in Melbourne (above) and Sydney were to highlight the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza
Professional activist Josh Lees was a prominent figure at the Sydney protest
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Lees → claim → protest
The Sydney vigil (above) was notably quieter than the Melbourne event
NSW Premier Chris Minns had labelled the vigil as 'heartless' given it marked the date of Hamas' massacre of Israeli civilians
Attempts to stop the event in Sydney (above) were found to have no legal basis
'
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Attempts → label → basis
I think these organisers, in many cases, thrive on the notoriety and the attention they get.'
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they → think → notoriety
The Sydney event was one of two pro-Palestinian commemorations planned for October 7 in NSW.
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event → plan → NSW
A separate gathering in Wollongong, organised by Wollongong Friends of Palestine, was advertised as a three-hour event to 'stop and remember the martyrs'.
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gathering → organise → martyrs
The wording used in promotional material for the Wollongong event also attracted criticism from opponents, who argued the language was offensive given the significance of the anniversary for the Jewish community.
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language → use → community
Organisers of the Town Hall vigil defended the choice of date, arguing that October 7 also marked the beginning of Israel's military campaign in Gaza following the Hamas attacks.
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October → defend → attacks
Material circulated ahead of the event said the 'Gaza Uprising on 7 October 2023' must be viewed in the context of decades of occupation.
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Uprising → circulate → occupation
They also highlighted that Israeli airstrikes began later that day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Israel was at war.
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Israel → highlight → war
The promotional material also referenced actions taken by Israel in the days after the attacks, including allegations of war crimes that have been the subject of international legal proceedings.
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that → reference → proceedings
The Aporia
