Sydney sees 30,000 march for Palestine amid nationwide demonstrations

Tehran - BORNA - The protests were held after a court ruling earlier in the week blocked activists from staging their event at the Sydney Opera House, prompting organizers to relocate the march to the city's downtown streets. Similar rallies were held in Melbourne and more than two dozen other locations nationwide, according to the Palestine Action Group, which coordinated the actions. Police confirmed no arrests were made.

The demonstrations came as Israeli troops began pulling back from parts of Gaza under the first phase of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which aims to halt the months-long war that has left tens of thousands dead and much of the Strip in ruins.

"Even if the ceasefire holds, Israel is still conducting a military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank," Amal Naser, one of the Sydney rally's organizers, told Reuters. "The occupation as well as systemic discrimination against Palestinians living in Israel constitute an Apartheid system," she added in a statement.

Footage broadcast by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation showed demonstrators waving Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs as they marched through closed-off streets.

Pro-Palestinian marches have become a regular occurrence in Australia since the Gaza genocide erupted on October 7, 2023. Since then, Gaza's Health Ministry reported over 67,000 Palestinians killed and widespread destruction across the besieged strip, fueling anger and solidarity movements worldwide.

The rallies also follow Australia's formal recognition of the State of Palestine on September 21, 2025, a landmark policy shift that organizers say reflects growing public support for Palestinian self-determination and mounting frustration with "Israel's" continued and increasing occupation of Palestinian land.

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