Overview

• NSW Police lodged a Supreme Court challenge to the Palestine Action Group’s plan to march from Hyde Park to the Opera House on 12 October, saying the site cannot safely accommodate the expected turnout of about 10,000 people.
• Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police are not opposing a protest in principle and are negotiating alternative routes, and he distinguished this case from August’s court loss over the Harbour Bridge by citing the forecourt’s far lower capacity.
• Organisers have filed a Form 1 to assemble at 1pm at Hyde Park and describe the event as marking two years of war in Gaza while calling for sanctions on Israel and an end to the two‑way arms trade.
• Police Minister Yasmin Catley said she does not want the Opera House protest to proceed and noted a trust bylaw bans demonstrations on the forecourt, while stressing operational decisions rest with police.
• Political and community leaders criticised the planned destination, with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley calling it “disgusting” and Jewish representatives warning it would fuel division, set against memories of 2023 unrest when police found no evidence of a widely alleged antisemitic chant.