Pro-Palestine Vigils on Oct. 7 Anniversary Spark Outrage in Australia

Planned pro-Palestine vigils in New South Wales on the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel have ignited fury from politicians and Jewish leaders, who have labeled the timing "deliberate and cruel." The demonstrations are slated to occur on Wednesday at Sydney Town Hall and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong, organized by two separate groups.

The organization Jews Against The Occupation '48 announced it would host a vigil in Sydney marking Israel's retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attacks. Meanwhile, Anke Klevjer, a member of Wollongong Friends of Palestine, stated their group's event would be "stationary and peaceful."

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, criticized the organizers, accusing them of deliberately creating division. "If you want to protest, do it on any other day," Ryvchin said. "These people have no shame. They've created this theatre for themselves… Australians aren't into that."

NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane echoed these sentiments, calling the choice of date "deliberate" and "cruel." She urged Premier Chris Minns to intervene, stating, "October 7 marks the worst slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust. Families here in Sydney are still grieving and, after Bondi, that grief is close to home. Anyone should be able to mourn innocent lives lost in Gaza, but there are 364 other days to do it."

Sloane added, "Choosing this date was deliberate. It's provocative, it's cruel, and the organisers should change it. The premier agrees this vigil is wrong. But saying 'it's difficult' isn't a plan. He should be asking the organisers directly to move the date."

Premier Minns had previously described holding vigils on the anniversary of the "horrible and violent" event as "obscene." Speaking to reporters last week, he said, "To choose that day, I think it's designed to antagonize large sections of our community. I'm obviously distressed on their behalf."

NSW Police Force confirmed awareness of two planned assemblies in Sydney's CBD and Wollongong's CBD on Wednesday. However, only the Wollongong Police District had received authorization request forms. Sydney City Police Area Command had not received any forms by Tuesday afternoon. The police statement noted they "recognise and support the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly."

In Melbourne, a separate "sit-in vigil" is scheduled outside the State Library of Victoria. Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has warned that police would intervene if organizers or protesters breach the state's anti-vilification laws.