Calls for NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley to stand down after bungled Opera House protest

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman questioned why Ms Catley didn’t “probe” police to cancel Monday’s protests, or work with community leaders, or advise people to not attend the rally.

“We ask the Premier to replace the current minister with someone who is up to the job,” he said.

“There’s no evidence she even asked the police to stop it happening or asked why it couldn’t happen.

“When we’ve got a threat of increased tension around the world, (and) increased community tensions here, you need a minister who is at the top of her job and this minister, I regret to say, is not.”

During parliament on Wednesday, Ms Catley offered an apology to NSW‘s Jewish community, after being pressed to do so by the Opposition.

“We have the responsibility to ensure the safety of multicultural communities in NSW, and especially the Jewish community, who deserve to feel safe,” she said.

“Of course I apologise to anyone if they feel unsafe.”

However, her response was also criticised by the Opposition Leader.

“Even today she gave the most grudging apology: ‘Well I’m sorry if you feel unsafe’. (It was) not a proper apology to the Jewish community for what had happened,” Mr Speakman said.

Minns: Protests ‘won’t happen again’

On Wednesday, NSW Premier Chris Minns said a second Free Palestine march planned for Sunday would be called off, after hundreds of protesters caused chaos outside the Opera House on Monday.

In a press conference on Wednesday, the Premier apologised to the state’s Jewish community for failing to provide a safe place to mourn following devastating attacks launched by terrorists over the weekend.

“I really want to make it clear to the Jewish community that I want to apologise to them, specifically, on behalf of the government and myself as the Premier of NSW,” he said.

“The intentions were to light up the Opera House as a space for the Jewish community to commemorate what happened in Israel, the number of family and friends caught up in the conflict.

“We didn’t do it. I take responsibility for that. I want to ensure it won’t happen again.”

Tense protests on Monday night, organised by the Palestine Action Group Sydney, saw protesters go from the Town Hall to the Opera House where protesters burnt the Israeli flag, made anti-Semitic chants and set off flares in the Forecourt.

The activist group had organised a second rally for this Sunday and have submitted paper work attempting to obtain permission for a march, however the Premier said he expected the application would be denied.

“The protest organisers have already proven they’re not peaceful. Shouting racial epithets is not the definition of a peaceful protest,” he said.

“The idea they’re going to commandeer Sydney streets is not going to happen, and I am sure NSW Police will make that clear this morning.”

Palestine Action Group Sydney organiser Josh Lees said the group still planned to gather at Town Hall, and were currently seeking legal advice and working with police to consider their options.

Mr Lees said he was not aware they would not be able to march prior to Wednesday morning’s announcements.

“Obviously we’d like to march, it’s our democratic right but we have a right to a peaceful assembly and we’ll be going ahead with that,” he said.

“It’s very important we continue protesting given the war crimes happening on the Gaza Strip right now. There’s a lot of talk about the terrible loss of civilian lives but right now there’s thousands of Palestinians being killed and we need to protest for their lives as well.”

In a statement shared on the group’s social media, organisers confirmed they were still proceeding with a demonstration on Sunday.

“While pretending to care about the loss of civilian lives, Israel is busy murdering hundreds of civilians, including children and whole families, in the Gaza Strip,” the statement said.

“In (Israeli President Benjamin) Netanyahu’s words, they ‘are only just getting started’.

“This is why we must protest, and why we’ll be back 1pm Sunday at Town Hall.”

Asked whether police will be able to stop any ad hoc marches on Sunday, the Premier said NSW Police “will have more to say about it” later on Wednesday.

Mr Minns was said it was important to ensure people didn’t conflate NSW’s “massive and engaged Muslim community as being ubiquitous or in solidarity with the scenes that we saw on the Opera House Forecourt”.

“I know that many members of the Jewish community have tight, strong and long bond with members of the Muslim community, who have been appalled,” he said.

Extra security, police at Jewish schools, synagogues

Extra police and security will be present at Jewish synagogues, schools, hospitals and retirement villages in response to widespread local protests over the violent conflicts in Israel.

Speaking about the extra security measures offered to the Jewish community, Acting NSW Police Commissioner David Hudson confirmed no direct threats had been issued.

This comes after Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a terror attack on Israeli civilians, leading to more than 1000 fatalities.

“I know there’s a lot of angst within the Jewish community. I understand that,” he said.

“We don’t have any information or direct threats at this stage, and a lot of our visibility and presence is about preventing that.”

The extra measures will be implemented in the newly established Operation Shelter, which will focus on co-ordinated NSW Police‘s responses in relation to community sentiment, protest activity and demonstrations.

Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said the taskforce will monitor all Form Ones which give permission for protest groups to march on streets, plus offer extra resources to police and increase police visibility in the community.

Overseeing the operation, Deputy Commissioner Mel Lanyon said the level of security will depend on intelligence received by police.

“What we’ve said is very clearly that we will support all communities to be able to live safely in,” he said.

“At the moment we understand that there is very reasonable fear within the Jewish community. We have certainly accelerated the proactive patrols we‘re doing within that community.”

The increased police initiative was implemented following an unauthorised pro-Palestinian demonstration which organisers Palestine Action Group Sydney have said will go ahead.

Commissioner Hudson told protesters to stay away from Sydney’s Town Hall at 1pm Sunday, after Monday’s “abhorrent” demonstration which saw attendees chant anti-Semitic phrases and burn the Israeli flag outside the Sydney Opera House.

“If people show up on Sunday if that‘s the date that the organisers persist with, that will be met by a strong police force,” he said.

“We will propose that those that attend on Sunday, if the event goes ahead, would be subject to policing activities and identification of offences, and they will be charged if those offences are identified.”

Although police are not able to prevent protesters from gathering at the Town Hall, the Form One application that will allow protesters to march will be refused on the groups it was not made seven days prior to Sunday’s event.

This means attendees will not be protected from certain offences like obstruction of traffic, or walking on the roadways.

“I would urge anyone who was considering attending Town Hall … to monitor the situation closely,” he said.

“We will be doing further communications or closer to the time frame once negotiations with those organisers have been resolved.”