Australian police have defended their actions after violent clashes erupted during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Sydney against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, with footage showing officers charging and striking protesters.

New South Wales (NSW) Police said 27 people were arrested during Monday night’s rally, nine of whom were later charged, while 10 police officers were injured. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon on Tuesday said officers had shown “remarkable restraint” and acted appropriately under difficult circumstances.

Video circulating online appeared to show police punching demonstrators, using pepper spray, and forcibly removing protesters, including Muslim men who were praying. A state parliament MP was among those who said they were injured in the clashes.

According to a BBC report, tensions escalated after a peaceful rally at Sydney’s Town Hall when protesters began chanting “let us march”, defying police orders that restricted the demonstration to a static gathering. Police lines prevented demonstrators from dispersing, and pepper spray was deployed as confrontations intensified.

Rally organisers had earlier lost a last-minute court challenge seeking to overturn police-imposed restrictions that barred protesters from marching through the city during Herzog’s visit. The NSW government invoked “major event” powers, introduced days before the rally, granting police authority to close parts of Sydney and prohibit marches.

The Australian government invited President Herzog following a deadly antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in December, which killed 15 people, including a 10-year-old girl, during a Hanukkah celebration. Officials said the visit aimed to support Australia’s Jewish community, a move strongly opposed by pro-Palestinian groups.

NSW Premier Chris Minns backed the police response, saying officers had been placed in an “impossible situation” and urging the public not to judge events based on short video clips without full context.

Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said police were “significantly outnumbered” and faced “rolling fights”, adding that officers were threatened and assaulted during the protest.

Among the demonstrators was Jewish activist Linda Feinberg, who criticized the invitation to Herzog, holding a placard reading “Jews say no to genocide”. Another protester, Sihal Jamila, attended with her young daughter, saying she felt compelled to speak out against civilian deaths in Gaza.

Organizers estimated attendance at up to 50,000 people, while police put the figure at around 6,000. Protest leaders described the clashes as the worst they had witnessed in recent years, arguing the violence could have been avoided had authorities allowed the march to proceed.

BOB Post