Overview

• Organisers reported roughly 300,000–350,000 participants nationwide across more than 40 locations, while police offered lower city-specific counts, including about 10,000 in Brisbane versus organisers’ 50,000.
• Rallies were largely peaceful in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, featured support from major unions and community groups, and included speeches by Grace Tame and Antoinette Lattouf.
• Protesters called for sanctions on Israel and an end to Australia’s arms trade with Israel, citing the IPC Famine Review Committee’s confirmation of famine in parts of Gaza.
• After a Brisbane court vetoed a planned Story Bridge crossing, organisers shifted to an approved route over the Victoria Bridge with police facilitating the march.
• The demonstrations followed heightened diplomatic friction, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticising Anthony Albanese, and Australia’s peak Jewish body warning the rallies created an unsafe environment.