A young woman has been arrested as part of a police investigation into the display of Hezbollah flags at a pro-Palestine demonstration in Sydney’s CBD last weekend.
Up to 30,000 protesters marched in Sydney, while thousands more took to the streets in Melbourne to walk in support of Palestine and Lebanon on Sunday.
Several were seen waving the red and green flags of Hezbollah, a militant and political group from Lebanon that has been listed as a terrorist organization in Australia, as well as photographs of its murdered leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Police in New South Wales on Wednesday released a photograph of a 19-year-old man they believed could help them with their investigations into the display of “prohibited symbols”.
The appeal came as a young Australian Jew spoke out about the level of abuse he had suffered after being caught up in Sunday’s protests and the vile insult hurled at him.
An image of the woman wanted by police showed the 19-year-old with a high ponytail and wearing a black top and black square-frame sunglasses on her head.
Police described her as Be of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, of medium build, with long brown hair.
The woman appeared at the Kogarah police station following the public appeal before being arrested. She is assisting police with their investigations.
New South Wales Police released photographs of the glamorous woman wearing a high ponytail and wearing a black top and black square-frame sunglasses on her head as part of their investigation into the public order incident in Sydney on last Sunday.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in both Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday to march in support of Palestine and Lebanon, with a larger-than-normal turnout as a result of the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike. in the south. Beirut last Friday
Liberal senator James Patterson said seeing Hezbollah flags at rallies in Melbourne and Sydney was “disturbing” given Australia designates it as a terrorist organisation.
‘This is a clear contravention of section 80.2HA of the Commonwealth Criminal Code. “It’s time for the police to enforce the law,” he tweeted.
The display of flags representing a listed terrorist organization is a prohibited offense and was widely condemned by politicians, police and Jewish organizations.
Sydney resident Adam Lippmann, a 38-year-old Australian Jew of Iraqi descent, has spoken about his fear after claiming he was “exposed and attacked” while watching the demonstration over the weekend.
Lippmann told The Australian he was abused as a “Zionist shit” and had his phone thrown onto light rail tracks during the Sydney protest.
He said he had been at Woolworths Town Hall on Sunday afternoon buying bananas when he noticed protesters carrying Hezbollah flags and portraits of Nasrallah.
Lippmann said he took photographs of the protest as protesters were moving down Pitt St when a man carrying a portrait of Nasrallah among a small group of male protesters between 15 and 20 saw him.
“He came up to me and said, ‘We all know who you are.’ You’re a fucking Zionist. You’re a fucking Zionist, get out of here.
“He saw me from a distance and started this fight of anti-Semitic and homophobic abuse.”
Lippmann said another young man took his phone and threw it on the tram tracks.
Small groups of young people, many of them masked, were seen at demonstrations in each city waving the red and green flags of Hezbollah, a militant and political group from Lebanon that has been listed as a terrorist organization in Australia.
He claims that when he approached police attending the protest and told them he had photos and audio of what happened, they told him they couldn’t help because they were simply there “to ensure it was a peaceful protest.”
Lippmann subsequently filed a police report at a nearby police station.
“The city is not a safe place for Jews,” he told the publication. “Police policy is not enough to protect Jews.”
Protests in support of Palestinians have been held on the streets of Australian cities for almost 50 weeks since Israel’s brutal retaliation following the October 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists on its people and the taking of Israeli hostages. .
Yesterday, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb made an application to the NSW Supreme Court. to stop a pro-Palestine protest planned for Monday, October 7 over fears it would create civil unrest.
In a statement, New South Wales Police said it “recognizes and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” but that “the safety of participants and the community in general” was his top priority.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also weighed in on the protest planned for Monday’s public holiday.
‘There certainly shouldn’t be any protests on October 7 because I think it would be seen as incredibly provocative. I wouldn’t promote any cause. “It would cause a lot of anguish,” he said.
Palestine Action Group organizer Damian Ridgwell told the Sydney Morning Herald the police request was an “attack on fundamental democratic rights”.
“We intend to defend our right to protest and are determined to continue to defend justice for Palestine and Lebanon,” Ridgwell said.
The display of Hezbollah flags in Sydney and Melbourne has been referred to the Australian Federal Police for possible criminal sanctions.
AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw described the screens as ““not Australian” and an offense under federal law.
“If they fly these flags, particularly those of Hezbollah and Hamas, action will be taken,” said Commissioner Kershaw.
Anyone who can identify the woman wanted by NSW Police for questioning, or provide information that may help, is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.