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NSW Police have rejected an application for an authorised pro-Palestine protest this weekend in Sydney following anti-semitic chanting at the Opera House protest on Monday.

Acting Commissioner David Hudson confirmed NSW Police were going to block a pro-Palestine protest planned for Sunday, and encouraged people to not attend the rally.

NSW Police acting Commissioner David Hudson.Credit: James Brickwood

“Police are currently in negotiations with the organisers of that event,” he said on Wednesday.

“It is unauthorised at this stage. Organisers might decide to move it and if that is the case, there will be considerations.

He also announced Operation Shelter, which aims to capture intelligence surrounding potential protest activity and demonstrations surrounding the Hamas-Israel conflict.

Pro-Palestine protestors at the Sydney Opera House on Monday.Credit: Louie Douvis

“The intent of the operation is to ensure community safety. That is always our primary purpose. We will take any steps to ensure that.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns again apologised for failing to provide a space for members of the Jewish community to come together, after the pro-Palestine protests at the Sydney Opera House involved scenes when people yelled antisemitic chants and burnt Israeli flags.

Hudson said Monday’s protest of about 500 people went ahead after late information was given to the NSW Police force.

“The decision to allow [Monday’s protest] to happen was based on late information received by the NSW Police force that a proposed assembly at the Town Hall which had been organised – although the (protest application) had not been submitted in the appropriate time,” he said.

“The operational advice that we received from the commander at the central metropolitan region … was that we were better to facilitate that march to the Sydney Opera House.

“We can’t stop a thousand people meeting in one spot, it depends on their behaviour once they get there. If that becomes an unauthorised protest, we will take action.”

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