Tens of thousands of Australians marched across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge on Sunday in a mass demonstration demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unrestricted humanitarian aid access to the besieged enclave.
Braving heavy rain and wind, protesters chanted “Ceasefire Now” and “Free Palestine” during what organisers dubbed the “March for Humanity.” Many carried pots and pans, a symbol of the deepening starvation crisis in Gaza, where more than 170 people, including 93 children, have reportedly died from hunger and malnutrition since the start of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023.
Police estimated the turnout at 90,000, significantly higher than the organisers’ pre-march estimate of 10,000. The Palestine Action Group Sydney later claimed up to 300,000 may have joined the rally.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was spotted among attendees, though he did not address the crowd. Mehreen Faruqi, a senator from the Greens party, called for “harshest sanctions on Israel,” accusing it of massacring civilians. Author and journalist Antony Loewenstein criticised Australia’s role in supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets used by Israel, saying Canberra’s limited response amounted to complicity. (Video Credit: Social Media)
