SYDNEY: Sydney police used pepper spray on protesters on Monday as a rally against a visit to Australia by Israel´s President Isaac Herzog turned violent.
The head of state´s tightly secured, four-day visit was aimed at consoling Australia´s Jewish community in the wake of the December shooting at Sydney´s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.
But he was met with protests in Australia´s two largest cities on Monday evening, with a Sydney rally turning violent as police hit protesters and members of the media, including AFP, with pepper spray.
An AFP journalist said they saw at least 15 protesters being arrested as members of the rally scuffled with the police. Palestine Action Group spokesman Josh Lees said on Instagram the police had “repeatedly charged us with horses and pepper spray”.
New South Wales police declined to comment when contacted by AFP. Crowds also gathered in the centre of Melbourne demanding an end to Israel´s “occupation” of Palestinian territories.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had urged people to be respectful of the reason for Herzog´s visit, saying he would join the president to meet with the families of those killed at Bondi Beach. The New South Wales state government invoked new powers giving police greater powers to control demonstrations prior to the rally.
