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Police are going to the Supreme Court to block two pro-Palestine protests planned for Sydney to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the war in Gaza this weekend.
The NSW Police Force's move comes as the Australian Federal Police investigates possible crimes related to the presence of Hezbollah flags at rallies in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday.
Organisers of the planned October 6 and 7 marchers had already advised people to leave the flags at home but after negotiations today were told police would oppose the planned rallies.
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In a statement released tonight, police said the organisers had served notice to the commissioner about both planned protests but officers from Operation Shelter "are not satisfied that the protest can proceed safely".
"Accordingly, the commissioner has decided to apply to the NSW Supreme Court to prohibit the two assemblies," it said.
"The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the first priority for the NSW Police Force is the safety of the participants and the wider community."
The Palestine Action Group said it had been organising peaceful weekly rallies for almost a whole year and called the police application an "attack on fundamental democratic rights".
"With Israel now escalating their war against Lebanon, the Palestine Action Group unequivically (sic) opposes this attempt to silence protests calling for the Australian government to take take action against Israel's genocidal war," spokesperson Amal Naser said.
"We intend on defending our right to protest and are determined to continue standing for justice for Palestine and Lebanon."
The emergence of the Hezbollah colours on the weekend at protests in Sydney and Melbourne caused confusion among police and politicians.
Two flags were seized in Sydney and Victoria Police reported six "prohibited flags" representing Hezbollah were seen being carried by a small group, who were not affiliated with organisers.
But there were no immediate arrests.
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Australia – like the US, UK, Canada, Japan and other allies – lists Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation.
Displaying the symbol of a terrorist group can be punished by up to a year in prison but federal law lays out only certain illegal situations, such as if the flag is used to spread hate, to intimidate or to incite violence.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke called on Victorian and NSW authorities to check the visa status of any protesters alleged to have glorified Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by an Israeli air strike on Friday.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said as an "inclusive and respectful" society, Australia would not accept "people who are out there glorifying a terrorist organisation".
"Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation in our country," he told reporters today, comparing Nasrallah to Adolf Hitler or Osama bin Laden.
"They're responsible for the deaths of thousands of people."
Israel declared war against the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip after Hamas' cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage.
More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, and just over half the dead have been women and children, according to local health officials.
Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on October 8 in solidarity with the Palestinian militant group.
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged fire almost every day since then, coming close to a full-fledged war on several occasions but stepping back from the brink.
In recent weeks, Israel's war against against Hamas has scaled back and it turned its focus northward toward Lebanon, stepping up the attacks on Hezbollah.
– With Associated Press.
