Police called as Pro-Palestine protest disrupts marathon Inner West Council Meeting

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A meeting of Inner West Council in Sydney was abruptly halted on Tuesday night when a large group of pro-Palestine protesters, led by Greens supporters, disrupted proceedings.

Pic: Instagram

Around a hundred activists from the Inner West 4 Palestine group, entered the Ashfield Civic Centre during the final pre-election council meeting, leading to the councillors and staff being escorted out of the building for their safety.

The protesters gathered outside before moving into the council chambers, sparking alarm from Mayor Darcy Byrne. He condemned the group’s behaviour, describing it as “continual abuse and threatening conduct,” which forced the suspension of the meeting.

The disruption occurred during a lengthy debate on a motion proposed by Greens councillor Dylan Griffiths, calling for an investigation into cutting ties with companies associated with Israel. The motion also called for advice from the Australian Palestinian Advocacy Network (APAN) on the implementation of BDS at a local level.

As the motion came to a vote the protestors erupted in loud chants of “Free, free Palestine,” apparently aiming to pressure opponents of the motion. All Labor councillors in attendance and other non-Green councillors voted down the motion.

In a statement, Mayor Byrne said the meeting was not able to proceed after “continual abuse and threatening behaviour from the protesters”. He said the actions of the protesters were “extreme’ and “The intimidating and abusive conduct of this group was unsafe, dangerous and undemocratic,” Mr Byrne said. “The harassment and abuse of Jewish citizens who attended the meeting was appalling and completely unacceptable.”

Pic: Instagram

NSW Police confirmed their attendance at Liverpool Rd in Ashfield in response to the event.  According to ‘The Australian’, the eight Labor councillors who voted against the motion, including the mayor, were forced to remain in chambers until police arrived to safely escort them to their vehicles.

The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies commenting on the incident, expressing concern over the seriousness of the disruption, stating:

“It’s easy to become desensitised given what we’ve witnessed over the past 10 months, but we shouldn’t downplay the seriousness of what took place last night at Inner West Council.

A Council meeting – a limb of our democracy – had to be abandoned in the face of an ugly, Greens-led anti-Israel protest which endangered Council staff, the general public and elected councillors.

The baying mob harassed and intimidated Jewish residents who attended the meeting and abused and vilified non-Green councillors. A police escort was required for councillors and Council staff to safely leave the building. We thank Mayor Darcy Byrne and his non-Green councillor colleagues for their courageous leadership in the face of this threatening conduct. We also commend the local residents – both Jewish and non-Jewish – who bravely exercised their democratic right to advocate against the Greens’ motion.

It is now beyond any doubt that the extremist Greens political party and the radical anti-Israel movement is a mortal threat to our democracy. All people of goodwill need to protect our democracy and social cohesion by uniting against their dangerous, divisive and anarchical behaviour.”

Said Mayor Byrne: “The harassment and abuse of Jewish citizens who attended the meeting was appalling and completely unacceptable… Overrunning the Council chamber and preventing democratic decision-making from taking place is not a political tactic that should be normalised in Australia.”

AIJAC Executive Director Dr Colin Rubenstein said, “It is frankly shocking and horrifying that a substantial Australian political party like the Greens continues to be complicit in violent protests targeting and designed to intimidate our elected representatives, as well as Australia’s Jewish minority. The scenes at Sydney’s Inner West Council last night, where a crowd, apparently organised with the participation of Greens Councillor Dylan Griffiths, shouted down and launched slurs at Jewish community members and were so aggressive toward elected Council members that police had to escort them to safety, were ones I never expected to see in Australia. They clearly show for all to see how far the Greens have descended towards lawless extremism since October 7.”