Fury as Pro-Palestine Groups Plan October 7 Anniversary Vigils

Pro-Palestinian events planned in New South Wales to coincide with the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel have sparked condemnation from politicians and Jewish community leaders.

Two separate groups are due to hold demonstrations on Wednesday at Sydney Town Hall in the CBD and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong.

Jews Against The Occupation ’48 said on social media that it would stage a vigil in Sydney to mark Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023.

Artist Anke Klevjer, a member of Wollongong Friends of Palestine, told The Daily Telegraph that the Wollongong gathering would be “stationary and peaceful”.

The planned events have been criticised by Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, who accused organisers of intentionally fuelling division.

“If you want to protest, do it on any other day,” he told the Daily Mail.

“These people have no shame. They’ve created this theatre for themselves… Australians aren’t into that.

“We want to have a calm, peaceful society where we can focus on what’s truly important and people can spot those that seek to divide us and destroy what we have here which is truly great.”

NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane described the choice of date as “deliberate” and “cruel”, and urged Premier Chris Minns to intervene.

“October 7 marks the worst slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust,” she said.

“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.

“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.

“He should tell the community what police advice he’s received and what options he’s considered.”

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In a statement to the Daily Mail, Jews Against the Occupation ’48 said it would hold “a solemn and peaceful vigil to commemorate the beginning of Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

“We believe that it is important to contest Israel’s claim to exclusive rights over the date of October 7th.”

The Daily Mail contacted Minns’ office and Wollongong Friends of Palestine office for comment. 

Last week, the Premier described holding vigils on the anniversary of a ‘horrible and violent’ event as ‘obscene’ while speaking to reporters. 

‘To choose that day, I think it’s designed to antagonise large sections of our community,’ Minns said. 

‘I’m obviously distressed on their behalf.’

NSW Police Force told the Daily Mail they are aware of two planned public assemblies in Sydney’s CBD and Wollongong’s CBD on Wednesday.

However, only officers from the Wollongong Police District have received forms requesting authorisation to hold a public assembly. 

Sydney City Police Area Command had not received any forms from organisers by Tuesday afternoon.

NSW Police said it ‘recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly’.

 Meanwhile, in Melbourne, a ‘sit-in vigil’ is scheduled to take place outside the State Library of Victoria from 10am to 5pm.

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has warned police would step in to ‘protect the public’ if organisers or protesters breached the state’s anti-vilification laws.