Tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied across Australia over the weekend in one of the largest waves of anti-Israel protests the country has seen, with organizers claiming total attendance of nearly 300,000 nationwide, though numbers are contested.
The impetus for the coordinated demonstrations, spanning more than 40 cities and regional centers, and organized by the Palestine Action Group, was the United Nations-backed report on Friday claiming “reasonable evidence” that there has been “famine” in Gaza since Aug. 15, according to Sky News Australia.
Israel said that the “famine” determination contradicts recent, publicly available data and uses “outdated figures while downplaying or disregarding newer information that directly undermined the famine classification.”
However, the protesters demanded an end to “starvation” and “genocide” in Gaza, the imposition of sanctions on Israel, and a halt to Australia’s arms trade with the country.
Melbourne hosted what organizers described as the largest rally, claiming more than 100,000 participants. Protesters gathered outside the State Library before marching through the city to the steps of Parliament, Sky News Australia reported.
Demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and signs reading “Free Palestine,” “Gaza City: Now in Famine, 1/2 million at risk” and “Israel is killing children.”
Independent Sen. Lidia Thorpe, a member of the Australian Greens Party until February 2023, addressing the crowd, urged Australians to boycott multinational fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and KFC over links to Israel.
She accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government of complicity in the conflict, although his administration has been highly critical of Israel.
“[Foreign Minister] Penny Wong and Albanese continue to lie about being complicit in genocide at all here and abroad,” Thorpe said. “The only way we’re going to get traction here is to boycott Israel in all its forms.”
Chants of “Death to the IOF”—a reference to the Israel Defense Forces, which protesters labeled the “Israel occupation forces”—echoed through the streets, Sky News Australia reported.
A police spokesperson for Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, said officers monitored the rally to maintain safety, adding that “any unlawful behavior will not be tolerated.”
In Sydney, organizers estimated attendance at nearly 100,000, though police did not provide an official figure.
Josh Lees, a spokesman for Palestine Action Group Sydney, said the protests reflected a growing shift in public sentiment. “The dam has burst in terms of support for Palestine and opposition to this genocide,” he said.
Grace Tame, an activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault named Australian of the Year in 2021, told the crowd that public mobilization could force political change.
Journalist Antoinette Lattouf also addressed the rally, claiming that 184 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, although independent research has shown the vast majority of “journalists” killed worked for proscribed terrorist groups.
In Brisbane, organizers claimed a turnout of 50,000—a figure they said would mark the city’s largest-ever protest. Queensland Police put the crowd at closer to 10,000, according to Sky News Australia.
Greens leader Larissa Waters criticized Australia’s ongoing defense trade with the Jewish state. “Australians are horrified that we are selling weapons components to the Israeli government; it’s got to stop,” she said.
Smaller rallies took place across Adelaide, Perth, Hobart and regional towns, drawing crowds ranging from several dozen to several thousand, Sky News Australia reported.
The Palestine Action Group claimed 20,000 attended in Perth, 15,000 in Adelaide and 4,000 in Hobart, alongside smaller demonstrations in centers such as Newcastle and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales and Margaret River in Western Australia.
The protests prompted more than 250 community and human rights organizations—including Amnesty International—to issue statements defending the demonstrations after the protesters’ attempted march across a Brisbane bridge was stopped by court order as a threat to public safety.
“The right to protest is a protected right under international law and a vital tool for people to call for urgent accountability and demand justice, especially in the face of ongoing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity by Israel with full impunity,” Amnesty International said in a statement.
In January, the Israel Tax Authority revoked Amnesty International’s tax benefits, accusing the organization of supporting anti-Israel activities and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Last week, Israel-Australia relations deteriorated sharply when Australia denied entry to Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Chairman Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism Party ahead of what was to have been a solidarity visit to the Jewish community.
In justifying the decision, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke argued that Rothman would “spread a message of hate and division.”
In retaliation for banning Rothman, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Aug. 18 revoked the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority.
On Aug. 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu castigated Albanese for his government’s failure to counter Australia’s surging antisemitism.
“Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire,” Netanyahu said, referring to Australia’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at September’s U.N. General Assembly meeting.
Describing Albanese’s actions not as diplomacy but appeasement, Israel’s prime minister wrote: “It rewards Hamas terror, hardens Hamas’s refusal to free the hostages, emboldens those who menace Australian Jews, and encourages the Jew-hatred now stalking your streets.”
