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Protesters begin crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge
We have word from our reporter, Jordyn Beazley, that protesters have now started to cross the Sydney harbour Bridge.
Among those at the front of the crowd are MP Ed Husic, former NSW Premier Bob Carr, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and five Labor MPs who defied calls from Premier Chris Minns not to march.
Key events
Police ask Sydney marchers to stop and wait further instructions
People in Sydney have received a text message from NSW Police that says:
Message from NSW Police: In consultation with the organisers, the march needs to stop due to public safety and await further instructions.
Police have confirmed to the Guardian that the message is genuine. We’ll try to find out more about why the police have taken this step.
Police start to turn Sydney protesters back across harbour bridge
One of our reporters at the Sydney march, Jordyn Beazley, says that police are now attempting to manoeuvre the front of the march back across the bridge.
Police said a few moments ago that to avoid a potential crowd crush, they were allowing protesters to turn around and go back across the bridge.
Josh Taylor
Melbourne protesters appear to be blocked from King Street Bridge
While in Sydney the march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge has gone ahead, pro-Palestinian protesters in Melbourne’s CBD, who had planned to shut down King Street Bridge, appear to have been blocked from crossing the Bridge by police
Video shared on social media by the protest organisers shows police in riot gear and shields blocking the King Street Bridge with trucks.
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Victoria police were approached to confirm the bridge had been shut down, and a spokesperson said a statement would be released at the end of the day.
“We are all Palestinians” shout marchers on Sydney Harbour Bridge
The front of the Sydney pro-Palestine march has crossed the harbour bridge, with a video from the Guardian’s Shelley Hepworth on BlueSky showing the march at a stand still with the crowd shouting “We are all Palestinians”
Here are some more images of Julian Assange attending the Palestine Action Group’s March for Humanity protest in Sydney.
Police say protesters can walk back across the bridge to avoid crowd crush
NSW police have said protesters can now walk back across the Sydney Harbour Bridge once the march has reached the northern end, in an attempt to avoid a “potential crowd crush”.
The initial plan was for protesters to walk north from the Wynyard end of the bridge, then disperse in North Sydney.
But in a statement, police said “due to the public safety risk and prevailing weather conditions”, protesters could walk back southbound across the bridge to the Sydney CBD.
Operation commander Adam Johnson said the change would be facilitated by specialist tactical police:
People who travelled from Sydney’s northern suburbs can leave the group, and North Sydney train station will remain open and operating as originally intended, but due to the risk of a potential crowd crush scenario at the train station, we will now provide the third option of allowing protesters to walk back across the Bridge and disperse in the CBD.
This means the Bridge will remain closed for a longer period than originally planned, until the operation concludes.
I urge all involved to obey directions of police – they are acting in the best interests of everyone. Our planning and intent has always been to ensure the safety of everyone.
We do not have an alternative.
Crowd size estimate
The Palestine Action Group who are organising the Sydney march were expecting about 25,000 people to turn out.
It’s difficult to say how many people are there right now, with reports and pictures of tightly packed streets.
One police officer has told a Guardian reporter on the ground that the force thought the number was about 25,000.
Protesters throng Wynyard station
Protesters continue to arrive at Wynyard station in Sydney to walk across the Harbour Bridge – braving appalling weather conditions to protest Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in Gaza.
Caitlin Cassidy
‘Innocent babies have no colour, no religion, no language’
The crowd has begun to slowly filter down Lang Street towards the bridge.
Earlier, Nurses and Midwives 4 Palestine stood in the rain on with their umbrellas and large sign, swapping snacks and joining in chants.
They have been braving all weather conditions to attend weekly pro-Palestine rallies since 2023.
Today isn’t new for them – but what does feel different is the sheer scale of the march.
Mark Murphy, a registered nurse and member of the group, says the Palestinian people have been “voiceless”:
There’s a genocide, there’s forced starvation … Palestinians have got no rights. By us showing up here, it’s a small token … we want to make sure the rest of the world is hearing, and taking action. This is what people power’s all about.
Philomena McGoldrick, a registered nurse and midwife, has spent stints working in Gaza and has been heartbroken by images circulating of starving children. She says:
Innocent babies have no colour, no religion, no language. In this day and age … it’s heartbreaking … But it’s nice to meet people standing on the right side. The tide has changed.
Caitlin Cassidy
Crowd waits to march in Sydney during a break in the rain
The rain has briefly abated and the crowd in Sydney, packed on Lang Street in their thousands, are waiting to march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Many protestors are carrying pots and utensils to draw attention to the ongoing starvation in Gaza.
Dan, who is originally from the UK, is proudly holding a sign reading “Gay Jews 4 Gaza”.
He’s in attendance over the frustration of the war in Gaza continuing for so long and the federal government “seemingly doing nothing”.
I grew up in a north London Jewish community, and I think there’s a widespread Zionism that exists within the Jewish community that is difficult to separate from religion … I think it’s important for people within the community to stand up and raise their voice against the state of Israel because they’re not representative of the Jewish community as a whole.
Asked if this feels like a turning point, Dan says:
I hope so … it’s gone on long enough without action.
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