MELBOURNE, VICTORIA – A group of masked pro-Palestine demonstrators has been strongly condemned by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan for their actions during a massive protest in Melbourne.
The rally, which drew thousands of supporters, was marred by a smaller group of protesters who burned the Australian flag and spray-painted “Abolish Australia” on the road.
The protesters, some of whom wore masks, also chanted “Death, death, death to the IDF” – a reference to the Israeli Defence Force.
Allan described the actions as “deplorable” and “cowardly,” stating that wearing masks signaled “intent” and was unacceptable.
Despite the incident, the majority of the protest was peaceful, with no arrests made.
The protesters had gathered to call for an end to the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for months.
Authorities blocked the planned crossing of the King St Bridge, leading to confrontations and protesters splintering off and heading back to their starting point at the State Library.
In a separate development, a massive pro-Palestine rally in Sydney saw almost 100,000 demonstrators peacefully march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday.
The event proceeded without significant incident, despite an initial attempt by authorities to block the protest on safety grounds.
Authorities have urged anyone with information about the masked protesters to come forward.
The public is asked to contact local authorities with any tips or footage of the incident.