Pro-Palestinian activists attempted to prevent Israeli shipping company ZIM from entering Sydney’s Botany Harbour, taking to sea to deter the boat.
The rally, which began at midday on Saturday, was organized by the Palestinian Justice Movement Sydney (PJMS) and saw a large crowd gather at the Foreshore boat launch.
Dozens of people gathered at the Estran boat ramp – some even took to the water to try to dissuade the ship – calling for a boycott of the “major arms carrier”.
“The ZIM shipping company is a major arms carrier,” PJMS said on social media.
“This is not welcome at Port Botany, or anywhere where people speak out against genocide and war crimes.”
A large crowd gathered at Port Botany to protest the Israeli ship. Photo: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Robinson.
Protesters gathered on land and also on jet skis next to the massive container ship, and were heard chanting: “Resistance is justified when Palestine is occupied.”
The rally went ahead on Saturday despite calls from NSW Premier Chris Minns against any attempts to “block the boat”.
“I just want to make clear that living in a free country does not mean you can go to the port and stop legal trade between Australia and its trading partners around the world,” Mr Minns told Ben Fordham of 2GB. .
Protesters gathered at the water’s edge and also gathered on jet skis. Photo: NCA NewsWire/Dylan Robinson.
“I have not seen these people at the port when it comes to trading with Cuba, Saudi Arabia, China or any other country with which there might be disagreements or internal unrest, so they should not not do it when it comes to Israel as well.
This comes after the Israeli attack on Gaza pushed the Palestinian death toll past 10,000 since October 7.
The White House said Thursday that Israel would allow “limited pauses” in its military operations “for humanitarian reasons.”
Protesters were heard chanting: “Resistance is justified when Palestine is occupied”
The rally went ahead on Saturday despite calls from NSW Premier Chris Minns against any attempt to block the boat.
The death toll includes more than 4,100 children and 2,640 women, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calling the war zone a “children’s cemetery.”
Violence erupted in Melbourne’s southeast on Friday night as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters clashed following a suspicious fire at a Palestinian-owned burger shop.
Police deployed pepper spray to break up the fight which took place on Hawthorn Rd in Caulfield.
