**NSW premier orders review of pro-Palestinian protests, claims marches are draining police resources**
To NSW, where the premier is threatening to shut down weekly pro-Palestine demonstrations due to the ongoing “drain” on police resources.
Chris Minns is ordering a review into the handling of the marches, which have run through Sydney’s streets every Sunday for a year, following the Hamas October 7 massacre and Israel’s Gaza counter-attack. There was a heavy police presence at Sunday’s protest, where around 10,000 congregated in Sydney’s Hyde Park after the authorities ditched a court bid to shut the rally down.
But Minns says police should be allowed to deny a request for a march due to stretched resources, revealing NSW had spent at least $5 million policing the protests in 2024 alone.
“We still have to have police to investigate serious crime in NSW, that’s proven to be incredibly difficult if our resources are tied up with marches and protests,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“If an application is made every single weekend, week after week after week, draining police resources and time and taxpayer money, police and taxpayers in the state are entitled to say we’ve got other things that are taking place in this busy city.”
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to disobey laws against blocking transport routes with police approval, although officials can go to court to deny permission.
But the Palestine Action Group, the organisers of the Sydney protests, claim the police were being “needlessly mobilised”, accusing Minns of basing the decision on a “racist scare campaign”.
“Last night we saw hundreds of riot police needlessly mobilised for a candlelight vigil. That wasn’t our decision, that was the premier’s decision, based on the ridiculous and racist scare campaign that he himself was part of whipping up,” a spokesperson said.
“As we always said it would be, it was an entirely peaceful event, as all our protests for 52 weeks have been. Minns and all the others who participated in this campaign have egg on their faces and owe the Palestinian and Lebanese community a big apology.”
**AAP, with Josefine Ganko**
RA3236 on
Okay? So your solution to over-policing of peaceful protests is… to prevent these peaceful protests altogether?
Hello authoritarianism?
No_Hurry9437 on
I guess to Minns democratic rights and freedoms have a price ($5 million) and above that price, they’re simply not worth pursuing.
I’ve not ever attended a protest myself, but this kind of stuff is worrying. The right to protest is fundamental to our democracy. I’m hoping this is just an empty threat from Minns.
abaddamn on
Police having a hard time already? That’s a new one.
sinixis on
If sporting events and music festivals are forced to pay to have jack booted unwelcome thugs attend, then I fail to see why these protestors should not pay too
CMDR_RetroAnubis on
Think of all the kids that haven’t been strip-searched because of the protests.
Poor coppers.
Suspiciousbogan on
Oh totally not against freedom of political communication.
No more workers rights protest, no more womens rights protest, environmental protest.
Cant protest against the orphanage crushing machine because it will cost the state too much money.
No protest against the invasion of Taiwan, way too costly.
7 Comments
**NSW premier orders review of pro-Palestinian protests, claims marches are draining police resources**
To NSW, where the premier is threatening to shut down weekly pro-Palestine demonstrations due to the ongoing “drain” on police resources.
Chris Minns is ordering a review into the handling of the marches, which have run through Sydney’s streets every Sunday for a year, following the Hamas October 7 massacre and Israel’s Gaza counter-attack. There was a heavy police presence at Sunday’s protest, where around 10,000 congregated in Sydney’s Hyde Park after the authorities ditched a court bid to shut the rally down.
But Minns says police should be allowed to deny a request for a march due to stretched resources, revealing NSW had spent at least $5 million policing the protests in 2024 alone.
“We still have to have police to investigate serious crime in NSW, that’s proven to be incredibly difficult if our resources are tied up with marches and protests,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
“If an application is made every single weekend, week after week after week, draining police resources and time and taxpayer money, police and taxpayers in the state are entitled to say we’ve got other things that are taking place in this busy city.”
NSW has a permit system that allows protest participants to disobey laws against blocking transport routes with police approval, although officials can go to court to deny permission.
But the Palestine Action Group, the organisers of the Sydney protests, claim the police were being “needlessly mobilised”, accusing Minns of basing the decision on a “racist scare campaign”.
“Last night we saw hundreds of riot police needlessly mobilised for a candlelight vigil. That wasn’t our decision, that was the premier’s decision, based on the ridiculous and racist scare campaign that he himself was part of whipping up,” a spokesperson said.
“As we always said it would be, it was an entirely peaceful event, as all our protests for 52 weeks have been. Minns and all the others who participated in this campaign have egg on their faces and owe the Palestinian and Lebanese community a big apology.”
**AAP, with Josefine Ganko**
Okay? So your solution to over-policing of peaceful protests is… to prevent these peaceful protests altogether?
Hello authoritarianism?
I guess to Minns democratic rights and freedoms have a price ($5 million) and above that price, they’re simply not worth pursuing.
I’ve not ever attended a protest myself, but this kind of stuff is worrying. The right to protest is fundamental to our democracy. I’m hoping this is just an empty threat from Minns.
Police having a hard time already? That’s a new one.
If sporting events and music festivals are forced to pay to have jack booted unwelcome thugs attend, then I fail to see why these protestors should not pay too
Think of all the kids that haven’t been strip-searched because of the protests.
Poor coppers.
Oh totally not against freedom of political communication.
No more workers rights protest, no more womens rights protest, environmental protest.
Cant protest against the orphanage crushing machine because it will cost the state too much money.
No protest against the invasion of Taiwan, way too costly.