Protesters rally on Sydney Harbour Bridge, displaying solidarity with Gaza
A massive protest took place on Sydney's Harbour Bridge on Sunday, with tens of thousands of people marching in support of Gaza. The event, which followed a similar demonstration in 2000 supporting Indigenous reconciliation, saw participants cross the 1.1 kilometre bridge and return, causing the bridge to be temporarily blocked for several hours.
The march was met with opposition from NSW Premier Chris Minns, who expressed concerns about a protest of such scale and nature taking place on the busy arterial road. Despite his opposition, some of Minns' fellow Labor MPs vowed to attend the Sydney protest, and the police estimated a crowd of 90,000, while organizers suggested the number was more than three times higher.
The current humanitarian crisis in Gaza is severe, with famine-like conditions unfolding as large portions of the population face extreme food shortages. Over half a million people are at risk of famine, including all children under five facing acute malnutrition, while more than 100 people have been killed in recent days searching for food along aid convoy routes.
The crisis is characterized by a near-total blockade, with insufficient aid entry and ongoing dangers to humanitarian convoys. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that despite some tactical pauses and increased aid allowed by Israeli authorities, the aid delivered remains inadequate and delivery routes remain dangerous.
UN experts assert that starvation is being used as a weapon of war and call on Israel to immediately restore unimpeded humanitarian access and allow trusted humanitarian agencies like UNRWA and OCHA to operate effectively. World leaders, including the UN and UK Prime Minister, are urging de-escalation, a ceasefire, increased humanitarian assistance, and renewed peace negotiations.
In addition to the Sydney protest, a similar march was held in Melbourne on Sunday at the King Street Bridge. The court ruling allows the Sydney protest to proceed as planned on Sunday, despite concerns about a possible crowd crush during the event.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has denied allegations of starvation or policy to deprive people of food in Gaza, accusing Hamas of stealing and blocking the distribution of aid. The UN World Food Program has warned for weeks that Gaza's population faces crisis levels of food insecurity, with photos of emaciated children in Gaza prompting some world leaders to increase pressure on Israel to address the humanitarian crisis.
The Sydney protest is not the first time the Harbour Bridge has been used as a platform for a significant demonstration. In 2000, some 250,000 people marched over the bridge in support of Indigenous reconciliation, while in 2023, the bridge was blocked for seven hours for a rally in support of equality for the LGBTIQ+ community. The ongoing crisis in Gaza continues to prompt global calls for action and support.
The Sydney protest, echoing events of war-and-conflicts, underscores the need for politics to address the ongoing crisis in Gaza, with thousands marching to demand improved humanitarian aid and peace. The event comes amidst a flurry of general news, as leaders worldwide call for de-escalation, ceasefires, and increased humanitarian assistance.
The crisis in Gaza, marked by a near-total blockade, has been characterized by a UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as one where starvation is being used as a weapon of war, necessitating immediate action from world leaders, including Israel, to restore humanitarian access and allow aid agencies like UNRWA and OCHA to operate effectively.
