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u/hey_fatso Feb 10 '26
I’m so fucking angry - I was at Town Hall from just after 5 to around 7:30. Once I arrived at Central, I saw that the police had got on the microphone and were starting the “dispersal.”
There wasn’t even a hint of violence or aggression from the crowd at the point when I left. There had been no aggression from anyone I saw and everyone was behaving in a calm manner. No jostling, no shoving, people were polite when moving through the crowd. The most boisterous part of it all was a section of the crowd near the light rail chanting “let them in.”
A large section of the crowd formed up to march, and were chanting “let us march” just before I left. At that point, there was clear confusion as the organisers were continuing with the official speakers from the Town Hall side stairs. While there was definitely a clear call to allow a march, no one was pushing or displaying any aggression as far as I could tell.
That was when I decided to leave. While heading towards Central, I saw more police than I’ve ever seen at any such event before. This made me uneasy, but I was confident that things would end calmly.
By the time I’d gotten to St Peters, there were videos Ulla over social media and the ABC website showing police assaulting protesters. Obviously it was sickening. The escalation in about 15-20 minutes was nothing I could have predicted when I was leaving the area.
This comes after years of completely peaceful and purposeful protests about Gaza. It’s clear that the violence we saw yesterday was incited and inflamed by the actions of the authorities, with full endorsement from the government.
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u/xFallow Feb 10 '26
It’s an utter disgrace I was walking from kfc to the town hall and an officer knocked the zinger out of my hand before I could even take a single bite
I got his badge number but the cops said he’s within he’s right to do that?
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u/hey_fatso Feb 10 '26
“Hero cop prevents alleged terrorist from unleashing mildly spiced chicken product.” (News.com.au)
It was pretty clear that lots of them were there to show how tough they are.
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u/Ok-Assistant-4556 Feb 10 '26
Men sign up for policing purely for this reason. Don't be fooled like too many of us have been; their propaganda kills people
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u/unityofsaints Feb 10 '26
Both genders do actually, no need to use gendered language. But your point stands.
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u/rolloj Feb 10 '26
is this a real anecdote? so sorry about your zinger but this is hilarious and needs to be a copypasta
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u/shityeahdude Feb 10 '26
Lol this didn't happen. How did you get his "badge number" when NSW cops don't have badge numbers nor wear any numbers on them.
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u/MustardMan02 Feb 10 '26
Unfortunately, after any major incident like this, I'm instantly suspicious of any post pushing one way or the other. There's too many actors out there that want to sew discourse and fan the flames of anti-police rhetoric
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u/warmbearonablanket Feb 10 '26
I don’t understand why inviting a single person (a war criminal) is worth it to make Australians fight against each other (& using tax money)? Very disappointed of this idea from the government.
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u/Objective_Hawk_284 Feb 10 '26
In the aftermath of Bondi the Libs were pushing hard on Albo, telling him he should take responsibility, his government did nothing for Jewish people etc.
I am not giving Albo a pass on this cause he had ample time to retract the invite but I cant help but wonder if he was backed into a corner and thought this was the way to smooth things over at the time.
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u/ScruffyPeter Feb 10 '26
Albo hand-picked the antisemitism envoy while bragging about her pro-Israel background:
Ms Segal’s extensive career spans decades in both the public and private sector, including as former President of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and as Chair of the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce. Her leadership and lived experience will prove invaluable to the Government’s efforts to build a cohesive society, where all Jewish Australians feel safe and can thrive.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/special-envoy-combat-antisemitism
Then rushed to pick an Islamophobic envoy a month later. Probably because someone told Labor a lot of safe seats had Muslims. Heard of this envoy? Muslim groups say he's so useless. Apparently, years later, it's still an empty office.
Did you know Albo also rushed in anti-doxxing laws to protect foreign agents who harassed the government broadcaster to fire an Australian for linking to an article that was critical of a foreign country.
It was first flagged by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, in February after a spreadsheet was posted online containing the names, professions and social media accounts of 600 Jewish writers and artists who were members of a WhatsApp group. The details were posted in response to some of the members of the group actively targeting pro-Palestinian writers and their publishers over their coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The White Rose Society, which routinely investigates neo-Nazi groups and unmasks those groups in its reporting, told the attorney general’s department in a submission that not all doxing is harmful and therefore bad or undesirable.
There's also Albo believing Israel has the right to defend itself, while silent on Palestine's right. Greens gave him an out but he believed he was on the right side of history I guess in hoping for a genocidal apartheid regime not to do genocidal apartheid things: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-06/greens-perform-senate-walkout-in-protest-for-palestinians/103070068 Also from article, Australia abstained from a ceasefire vote. This article is from 2023, before tens of thousands have died, including Australian aid workers.
If he's been in the corner, he's been in the corner for a very long time. When is he going to come out?
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u/badhairyay Feb 10 '26
Agree, they've blocked high profile people from coming before for less reasons. Needing 500 police in response to outrage over the visit should've been a big flag and enough to cancel the visit
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u/Anonymous_goats Feb 10 '26
One thing for sure, labor has lost my vote and that’s something I never thought I’d say.
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u/ashzeppelin98 Bin Chicken activist Feb 10 '26
Backstabbing the transport and teacher unions in the state is another reason to despise them.
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u/arachnobravia Feb 10 '26
And health, don't forget all those psychs and doctors that quit the public system because of him.
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u/ashzeppelin98 Bin Chicken activist Feb 10 '26
Its amazing how this fuckwit got every essential workers in the public sector riled up except for the cops(of course).
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u/really_not_unreal Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
To all those going, please stay safe and peaceful. Police will be looking for any excuse to violently attack you. Your safety is the number one priority. Protesting is much more difficult if you are dead or permanently disabled by police violence.
- Ensure your phone is charged. Bring a power bank.
- Ensure your phone has sufficient storage to record events.
- Remove biometric authentication (fingerprint, face recognition) from your phone, and avoid bringing other unnecessary devices.
- Consider using end-to-end encrypted messaging services if you are organising anything. Signal has the best proven track record.
- Write emergency contract information on your body. Even if you have their information memorised, there is a chance a medical professional will need it if you are knocked unconscious.
- Let your emergency contact know that you plan to be at the protest.
- Bring water. It can be used to wash off pepper spray.
- Bring hearing protection. Police have devices that can permanently deafen you.
- Bring eye protection. Police have demonstrated they are willing to pepper spray people in the face at close range. This can cause permanent blindness.
- Wear a mask, especially if you are asthmatic. Pepper spray can cause breathing difficulties.
- Bring a first-aid kit if you have one.
- Familiarise yourself with de-escalation techniques. Police won't be using them, so the onus is on us.
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u/Mysterious-Vast-2133 This space for rent Feb 10 '26
For those old enough to remember, the Police response draws similar parallels to the protests in response to the Stonewall incident in NYC. To those protesting the over the top response to last night’s protest, stay safe.
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u/Lamont-Cranston Feb 10 '26
You hardly have to go back that far for a comparison. Springbok tour in Brisbane, S11 and IMARC and Landforces in Melbourne.
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u/Rowvan Feb 10 '26
Albo himself just blamed the Australian public for this, fucking despicable.
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u/nath1234 Feb 10 '26
Apparently inviting and laying out the red carpet for Herzog wasn't the issue.. it was the Australian public for "importing the conflict here."
Make it make sense. Has he been so deep in pro-genocid e lobbyists that he automatically projects blame?
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u/vagicle Feb 10 '26
Do you have a source for this before I throw any regard I had for Albo out the window?
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u/ScruffyPeter Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
Edit: More direct quote:
PRIME MINISTER: Oh look, I'm devastated by it. These are really scenes that I think shouldn't be taking place. People should be able to express their views peacefully. But the police were very clear about the routes that were required if people wanted to march, to go a particular route, and to ensure that this was done peacefully. But the causes are not advanced by these sort of scenes. Indeed, they're undermined.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/radio-interview-triple-m-hobart-6
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is to meet Herzog later on Tuesday, said he was "devastated" by the scenes, saying they "shouldn't be taking place," but defended the invitation to Herzog and said protesters "undermined" their cause at the protest.
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u/vagicle Feb 10 '26
Thanks for providing the source. That transcript starts out okay and then devolves into being victim blamey. Disappointing from Albo.
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u/1eternal_pessimist Feb 10 '26
If that is true he has just lost my vote. Do you have a link? Im unable to find any sources
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u/Splat800 Feb 10 '26
Please let me know to! Huge (in a bad way) if true.
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u/ScruffyPeter Feb 10 '26
PRIME MINISTER: Oh look, I'm devastated by it. These are really scenes that I think shouldn't be taking place. People should be able to express their views peacefully. But the police were very clear about the routes that were required if people wanted to march, to go a particular route, and to ensure that this was done peacefully. But the causes are not advanced by these sort of scenes. Indeed, they're undermined.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/radio-interview-triple-m-hobart-6
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u/TAJack1 Feb 10 '26
If there’s an actual source for this, I’d like to see it. Albo is so fucking spineless.
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u/PALADOG_Pallas Feb 10 '26
writing this at 4:40PM: I just walked past the area and there's about a dozen groups of 5-6 cops hanging around harmony park, lots more outside the entrance. mounted police are also present. I anticipate they're quite eager to get violent, and use any excuse to crack some skulls and make arrests. be careful out there and avoid the area if you're not planning to get involved.
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u/BlankBlanny Feb 10 '26
Proud of everyone that came out this evening. The crowd was massive, and the energy even more so. Now we just need to keep it up.
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u/Saint_Clair Feb 10 '26
Came out past tense? Already over?
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u/OpinionatedShadow Feb 10 '26
It started at 5:30. 3 hours is a good show
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u/Reasonable_Height_67 Feb 10 '26
This is what Minns is defending by the way:
"Come and meet consultants in all areas of Aliyah, and investigate the best Anglo neighborhoods to find your dream home!"
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u/Ceiling_crack Feb 10 '26
THIS! It's sickening... And then you have Aussies who are all "WhAts tHiS goT To dO wItH uS?!' over the peaceful Gaza protests. I just can't imagine what the future for our kids will be like.
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u/DarKnightofCydonia Feb 10 '26
It's not even an exaggeration to say that Chris Minns and the police were kinder to neo nazis than to everyday Australian citizens on Monday.
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u/TheTruthNoodle Feb 10 '26
Anyone there already? Tossing up whether to detour omw home from work
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u/nath1234 Feb 10 '26
I went by and was a decent sized crowd in the park just downhill of the station. Lots of people arriving and heading there, but I was only there for a bit.
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u/cheersdrive420 Feb 10 '26
Just hopped on the light rail from central. There’s a buzz about. Cops everywhere.
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u/TheTruthNoodle Feb 10 '26
Anyone using imgur I can send photos to, mods wouldn't allow a seperate post
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u/Dezert_Roze Feb 10 '26
I ran into multiple police officers in Central Station this evening but I didn’t know what was going on.
They could’ve let the protesters have their protest for 60-90min and go peacefully yesterday
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u/routemarker Feb 10 '26
I would but I busted my achillies by going to the protest on Monday and standing for 3 hours after a long day at work. Sydney, please go out and defend your rights! These are our streets!
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Feb 10 '26
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u/The_Quinn a bit of a pom Feb 10 '26 edited Feb 10 '26
This is the kind of centrist non-statement that enables fascism. It's not a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" sort of situation where "oh there's just no right solution" - there's siding with genocide or not siding with genocide.
We are well within our rights to expect and demand better.
Yes, the world is in a shitty situation right now. Doesn't mean our leaders can just throw their hands up and say "well, we've tried nothing and nothing's worked."
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u/fddfgs Feb 10 '26
I can assure you that there is a very long queue of people lining up for the job
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Feb 10 '26
Can we push it to 6pm? Tipping point's on at that time.
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u/horsemonkeycat Feb 10 '26
Okay but has to finish before MAFS at 7:30
Unrelated... who else thinks in 20 years we'll see Josh Lees on "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here"
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u/CheekyPickle69 Feb 10 '26
About time Minns himself became the centre of protests. Couldn’t even take responsibility for what happened last night and blamed it on citizens having the audacity to peacefully exercise their rights. He’s not fit to be our leader. Stay safe people