Gaza Residents Respond to Sydney Harbour Bridge 'Unity March'

Share and Follow

As tens of thousands of Australians crossed Sydney’s Harbour Bridge on Sunday as part of a pro-Palestinian protest, locals in the war-torn region were watching.

Some wrote messages of praise on social media, while others shared photos of children holding up posters expressing their gratitude for the support.

Mohammed Hamad, who lives in Gaza, shared a photo of his daughter holding a thank-you sign.

“We know what is happening outside and we are following everything. The best march I have seen is the bridge march,” he told SBS News.

A man looks at the camera next to his smiling daughter, who holds a thank you sign.

Mohammed Hamad and his daughter Hira saw the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest from Gaza. Credit: X/ Mohammed Hamad

NSW Police said initial estimates put the crowd at 90,000 while rally organisers, the Palestine Action Group, estimated the figure was closer to 300,000.

‘We are not alone’

Tamer Nahed, a web developer from north Gaza, wrote on social media that witnessing the “massive protest” gave his parents a sense of hope.

“I showed them the massive protests that took place in Sydney. I told them, there are still people who care about us. We are not alone,” he wrote on X.

“We watched together as people stood in the rain, in this cold weather, chanting for us — for justice, for truth. And in my parents’ eyes, I saw something that had been missing for a long time … I saw hope return, even if just a little.”

Nahed expressed his gratitude towards the protesters, writing that he often feels forgotten by the world when watching the news.

“Thank you to everyone who marched today, to everyone who raised their voice for us. You didn’t do it in vain. You gave us something that words can’t fully capture,” he wrote.

More protests ahead, organisers say

One of the organisers told reporters more protests are being planned, but that a repeat crossing of the Sydney Harbour Bridge won’t happen anytime soon, according to the Australian Associated Press.

Palestine Action Group’s organiser Joshua Lees said on Sunday: “We want to build on this massive momentum we have now.”

“His stance is pretty clear and he’s passed a raft of anti-protest legislation already,” Lees said.

“We’re going to have to keep fighting for our rights to demonstrate.”

Speaking to ABC radio on Tuesday morning, Minns said he accepted the reason for the protest, but that “common sense has to play a role”.

“I’m not questioning the motives of many of the protesters. I accept that this is a protest that many people want to have,” he said.

“My argument here is I can’t close down the central artery for a city as big as Sydney — even on a short-term basis, but even if we had a massive heads up to do it.”

‘An extraordinary march’

Speaking about the protest, Foreign Minister Penny Wong acknowledged the anger and distress felt by some Australians.

“That was an extraordinary march and I think it demonstrates what we all feel,” she told the ABC’s 7.30 program.

“I know that Australians are feeling distressed, angry, upset, really horrified by what they’re seeing in Gaza. I certainly share that distress. So do ministers in the government.”

The Palestine Action Group said it is planning a national day of action scheduled for 24 August, along with more protests.