With AAP
In a worldwide protest yesterday against the war in Gaza, pro-Palestine group A15 Action called on supporters yesterday to blockade “the arteries of capitalism” in major cities, including Canberra.
In Australian state capitals, dozens of protesters lay on a busy CBD intersection, fake bodies were put outside offices, a factory was disabled, and activists allegedly tried to interfere with traffic lights on major roads.
A15 Action said the protests were in retaliation for the federal government’s actions since Israel declared war on Hamas in Gaza.
“We will make it economically unviable on a widespread scale for Australia to continue to support Israel in committing genocide in Gaza,” the activists stated.
On October 7, the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 200 hostage.
In the months since, Israel has launched a ground offensive and bombing campaign on Gaza that has killed more than 33,000 people and displaced another 1.7 million, according to the local health ministry.
This week’s protest comes days after Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the “pathway out of the endless cycle of violence” in the Middle East can only come with recognition of “a Palestinian state alongside the state of Israel”.
Before the protests, the activists declared: “In each city, we will identify and blockade major choke points in the economy, focusing on points of production and circulation with the aim of causing the most economic impact.
“There is a sense in the streets in this recent and unprecedented movement for Palestine that escalation has become necessary: there is a need to shift from symbolic actions to those that cause pain to the economy.
“As Yemen is bombed to secure global trade, and billions of dollars are sent to the Zionist war machine, we must recognize that the global economy is complicit in genocide and together we will coordinate to disrupt and blockade economic logistical hubs and the flow of capital.”
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, however, condemned the protests as “unAustralian”, saying the democratic right to protest should not infringe upon the rights of workers to go about their business, the Financial Review reported.
ACT
There was little disruption, however, in Canberra. ACT Policing arrested and charged four people at business premises in Hume who refused to comply with police directions.
An ACT Policing spokesperson reminded the community: “Peaceful protest is part of healthy democracy; however, criminal acts will not be tolerated.”
NSW
In NSW, three protesters blocked Thales’ Rydalmere site by attaching themselves to devices, including a ladder and a gate. Thales has links to Israeli Aerospace Industries.
Protester Lilli Barto, who was at the western Sydney premises, said the group wanted the government to stop supporting weapon suppliers.
In NSW, Premier Chris Minns said many officers were dealing with the aftermath of the deadly Bondi Junction stabbing tragedy.
“People need to understand that you may lose more supporters for your cause than you gain as we direct police resources to the inquiry,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
“And the community itself is (trying) to come together after a terrible 48 hours”.
Victoria
Victoria Police arrested 14 people, including 12 who blocked the road near the Boeing factory in Port Melbourne.
Melbourne Activist Legal Support accused teams of up to eight officers of aggressively arresting individuals.
Another two protesters were arrested, accused of tampering with traffic lights in Carlton.
More than 100 people gathered at BP’s Melbourne office to object to the oil giant’s presence in the Middle East. They put fake bloodied bodies outside the building; lay down at the corner of Spencer and Bourke Streets near Southern Cross Station; and marched up Collins Street, beating drums and chanting.
Further protests were planned in Melbourne’s northwest on Monday afternoon.
Victoria Police said it respected people’s right to protest when it is lawful and peaceful.
“However, there is no place for anyone wanting to deliberately disrupt and cause harm in our community,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
The West Gate Freeway, Hoddle Street, Thales’ premises, and the main access point to Melbourne’s docks were morning protest points, but failed to attract significant crowds.
Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratham joined more than 100 protesters outside state parliament.
“What we’re going to see today is what we’ve seen for months across the world with millions of people joining these marches,” she said.
“(This is what) happens when our governments don’t listen.”
Queensland
In Brisbane, more than 50 protesters gathered outside the aerospace company Ferra’s engineering facility. Activists say it makes components for Lockheed Martin jet fighters that Israel uses to bomb civilians in Gaza.
Police manned the gate to the facility, preventing protesters from entering, but no arrests were made.
“It makes you distraught to see the kind of violence that is going on that we are funding with our tax dollars,” one protester, Ollie, told AAP.
“It makes complete sense that we the people of Brisbane, and the people of Australia want to do something about it.”
Ten of the protesters danced around a sign reading “Ferra arms genocide” with Palestinian flags.
Tasmania
Near Hobart, protesters shut down operations at a workshop of Currawong Engineering after entering its factory.
University student CT, who disabled the company’s workshop, said Currawong was “aiding and abetting the Israeli military”.
