Australians across the country marched in solidarity with Palestinians on Sunday 24 August, including an estimated 6,000 Canberrans who marched from Civic Square to Australian Parliament House.
Across the country, an estimated 310,800 people attended rallies in more than 40 cities, just weeks after about the same number marched over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 3 August. Nick Reich from Palestine Action Group Canberra (PAGC), who organised the Canberra demonstration, says that the ACT protest was the largest yet in Canberra.
“A few weeks [ago], we’d had about 4000 people come out, and [at the time] that was the largest rally that we’d had in years for Palestine here in Canberra. So we were expecting a lot of people, but clearly, with the momentum of the National Movement, things [have] really grown.”
Following the march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Australian Government announced plans to recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September. But Reich from PAGC argues that this is not enough, and the group will continue protesting until their demands are met.
“It’s important to have had that presence every single week … and to say that we won’t let this issue become background noise or acceptable. That’s part of our message… we simply won’t accept genocide. We will continue fighting, because none of our demands have been addressed.”
PAGC’s demands include allowing unrestricted humanitarian aid to Gaza, an immediate ceasefire, and for Australia to sanction Israel including an arms embargo.
Among the thousands of Canberrans who attended the protest were activists, politicians, doctors and other community leaders. ACT Senator David Pocock addressed the crowd and called for more action from the Australian Government and thanked protestors for showing up and raising their voices.
“One of the things that [has] become more clear to Australians over the last few years is just how important the right to protest is, in this country. And when the government is not acting in line with what the people want, we need protests. Raise the right to protest [with your representatives], because as a country it is fundamental. And so thank you for being out here today, thank you for raising your voices, and please continue to do so.”
The Canberra rally also included a Welcome to Country and speech from Ngambri Ngunnawal Community Leader, Leah House.
“It’s not a fight that any of us blackfellas wanted to inherit. We didn’t choose resistance, resistance chose us because colonisation came to our shores. But we survived over 200 years of it and we will continue to survive. Just like Palestine. Palestine will never die.”
Photos by Jessica Menace