Police concern ‘crowd crush’ at Sydney Harbour Bridge protest as as much as 50,0000 folks anticipated, courtroom hears

Jordyn Beazley
The supreme courtroom listening to between the Palestine Motion Group and the New South Wales police started a short while in the past to listen to arguments over whether or not the pro-Palestine protest that will contain marching throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge needs to be authorised.
The courtroom heard that as much as 50,000 folks might attend the march on Sunday, which plans to start in Lang Park and march throughout the bridge to the US consulate.

Performing assistant police commissioner, Adam Johnson, who’s on the stand, advised the courtroom he was frightened about public security and the potential for “crowd crush”.
The protest organiser’s barrister, Felicity Graham, requested Johnson what police will do if 50,000 folks collect at Lang Park on Sunday.
Johnson replied:
It is going to be an actual problem whether or not it’s prohibited or not prohibited.
If the protest is prohibited, organisers might nonetheless proceed with the protest. Nevertheless, members wouldn’t have immunity from being charged beneath the abstract offences act.
Key occasions
And with that, we’re going to put the weblog to mattress. Earlier than we go, let’s recap the large headlines:
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Garma festival begins! It has been 25 years for the reason that annual Garma competition’s humble beginnings, and the Yothu Yindi Basis, which organises the occasion in north-east Arnhem Land, is paying homage to those that began it.
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Unbiased NSW MP Alex Greenwich stated he helps the pro-Palestine protest deliberate for Sydney Harbour Bridge, saying it “would ship a robust international message”.
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A controversial plan to reinstate spit hoods within the Northern Territory’s youth detention centres handed parliament final night time, in addition to a slate of different modifications to the territory’s Youth Justice Act.
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Australian items imported into the US will proceed to draw the country’s baseline 10% tariff, with Australia dodging any tariff enhance within the newest spherical of Donald Trump’s international commerce conflict.
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Father Chris Riley, the founder of Youth Off the Streets, died at his dwelling on Thursday, the group stated. He was 70.
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A protest towards antisemitism, additionally deliberate for Sunday, will probably be stationed outdoors the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. Christian-led group referred to as By no means Once more is Now stated that they had lodged an software with the NSW police to carry a rally, which was designed to attract consideration to hostages nonetheless unaccounted for.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with us. We will probably be again on Monday to do all of it once more.
Massive chunk of sandstone cliff collapses at Bronte seaside
A large rock has fallen on to the sand at Sydney’s fashionable Bronte seaside, NSW lifeguards have confirmed.
“A portion of the cliff on the North aspect of Bronte has fallen on to the seaside. Lifeguards and officers are strongly advising the general public to remain away from the world,” NSW lifeguards stated in a publish on social media.
“We are going to replace you after we know extra however for now please keep properly clear.”
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That’s all from me, Cait Kelly will probably be choosing up the weblog from right here.

Jordyn Beazley
Police requested in courtroom how they might reply if 50,000 protesters gathered at Sydney’s Lang Park
The supreme courtroom has heard that “the fact” police face is that tens of hundreds of individuals might nonetheless attend the deliberate march throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge no matter whether or not the courtroom authorises it or not.
The barrister for the Palestine Motion Group, Felicity Graham, advised the courtroom this implies it wants to know what the police’s response will probably be.
Graham requested appearing assistant police commissioner, Adam Johnson, what police’s plan was if 50,000 folks descended upon Lang Park, the place the march is deliberate to start out.
He stated:
50,000 folks at Lang Park whether or not it’s authorised or unauthorised has vital public security dangers.
Later, he stated in response to an identical query: “Our plan is, if it’s not an authorised meeting, to encourage folks to not come there as a result of it is going to be harmful.”
Requested what police would do within the occasion folks nonetheless attended, Johnson stated:
We’d do our greatest within the circumstances to keep up public security to most people and to the folks attending that location as properly, and it might be tough in both case.
If the courtroom doesn’t authorise the protest and points a prohibition order, the protest could go forward. Nevertheless, members wouldn’t have immunity from being charged beneath the Abstract Offences Act.
Graham requested Johnson if police require this prohibition order in order that police can arrest folks for obstructing a street if obligatory.
He responded: “Effectively, not essentially. Arrest is our final possibility. Typically, individuals are usually compliant after we talk with them within the first case, for their very own security as properly.”
Professional-Israel protest deliberate for Sunday outdoors Sydney Harbour Tunnel
A protest towards antisemitism, additionally deliberate for Sunday, will probably be stationed outdoors the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.
A Christian-led group referred to as By no means Once more is Now stated that they had lodged an software with the NSW police to carry a rally, which was designed to attract consideration to hostages nonetheless unaccounted for after Hamas’s assault on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Organiser Mark Leach stated:
As an alternative of demonising Israel, the world must demand Hamas return the hostages, a lot of whom have been topic to torture – and actual hunger, as we noticed from those that have returned dwelling.
That’s the solely solution to finish the conflict.
We recognise blocking each the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Harbour Tunnel could inconvenience folks and impression emergency providers, however after two years of virtually weekly anti-Israel protests with out interruption, because the Marxists organising the Bridge protest famous impulsively, it’s about “the suitable to protest”.

Henry Belot
Australia’s largest superannuation fund has divested greater than $26m of shares in poker machine large Aristocrat from its “socially conscious” possibility, after sustained criticism of its support for the gambling industry.
The choice was made after a assessment of investments to make sure the fund was assembly the expectations of its ethically minded members.
Learn extra:

Krishani Dhanji
Unbiased parliamentary assessment finds many citizens places of work seeing enhance in violent behaviour
An independent review has discovered parliamentarians and their employees are dealing with a rise in violent or threatening behaviour by constituents.
A assessment of parliamentary resourcing by the Parliamentary Office Assist Service (PWSS) discovered 85% of parliamentarians and employees who engaged within the assessment have handled constituents who had been violent, threatening or appearing risky. Virtually half stated they’d skilled that violent or risky behaviour greater than as soon as a month.
The PWSS consulted 217 parliamentarians and employees throughout 68 places of work, obtained 499 full survey responses, and 124 partial survey responses for the assessment.
Of the people consulted by the assessment, the report states virtually three-quarters (72%) are seeing a “regular enhance” within the variety of safety incidents together with from “protest exercise and violent and threatening behaviour from constituents”.
It additionally discovered ICT was a key concern for citizens places of work, and hampered employees having the ability to full their work. The report states:
Many employees had been unable to run issued software program comparable to communications and media merchandise, or load images or movies, as a result of their laptop would crash when making an attempt to finish these duties.
The report additionally states staffing ranges general are “not sufficient to satisfy all of the parliamentary and citizens work calls for positioned on employees in some places of work”.
NSW SES urges state’s areas to organize for weekend washout
The New South Wales State Emergency Service is encouraging residents within the Hunter, Mid North Coast, Coffs Coast and New England areas to organize for a weekend washout.
Heavy rainfall, damaging winds and huge surf are anticipated throughout a lot of the north coast and adjoining ranges this weekend.
With situations to worsen from Friday night time into Saturday, residents are inspired to remain knowledgeable and act early.
NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan urged folks to organize:
Verify your gutters, trim branches, and safe out of doors furnishings or trampolines earlier than winds choose up. These easy steps can forestall severe injury.
As a result of forecast rainfall, some roads might change into flooded and impassable, so above all, by no means drive by means of flood waters. If the street is flooded, cease, flip round and discover one other means.
Further police referred to as in for pro-Palestine protest in Melbourne
In Melbourne, additional police are being referred to as in to quash issues about pro-Palestine protesters inflicting havoc within the metropolis.
Professional-Palestine protesters are anticipated to march by means of Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday, aiming to dam the King Road Bridge.
Victoria police Supt Troy Papworth stated officers had tried to have interaction with organisers in an effort to change the deliberate motion, however these makes an attempt had been unsuccessful.
Purposely blocking a serious thoroughfare by means of town is a danger that we simply can’t take and we gained’t stand for it.
We’ve tried to have interaction with this group and strongly encourage them to alter their plans and never occupy the bridge.
If folks interact in legal behaviour, they’ll count on to be arrested and handled.
– with AAP
Police concern ‘crowd crush’ at Sydney Harbour Bridge protest as as much as 50,0000 folks anticipated, courtroom hears

Jordyn Beazley
The supreme courtroom listening to between the Palestine Motion Group and the New South Wales police started a short while in the past to listen to arguments over whether or not the pro-Palestine protest that will contain marching throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge needs to be authorised.
The courtroom heard that as much as 50,000 folks might attend the march on Sunday, which plans to start in Lang Park and march throughout the bridge to the US consulate.
Performing assistant police commissioner, Adam Johnson, who’s on the stand, advised the courtroom he was frightened about public security and the potential for “crowd crush”.
The protest organiser’s barrister, Felicity Graham, requested Johnson what police will do if 50,000 folks collect at Lang Park on Sunday.
Johnson replied:
It is going to be an actual problem whether or not it’s prohibited or not prohibited.
If the protest is prohibited, organisers might nonetheless proceed with the protest. Nevertheless, members wouldn’t have immunity from being charged beneath the abstract offences act.

Petra Inventory
Good afternoon, Petra Inventory right here, taking the weblog for the afternoon.

Nick Visser
That’s all for me, thanks for sticking with us thus far. Petra Inventory will information you thru the information from right here.

Jordyn Beazley
Provide to delay march throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge by three weeks stays
An organiser of a pro-Palestine protest that will contain marching throughout the Sydney Harbour Bridge has stated the provide remains to be open to delay the rally by three weeks if the police are keen to work with them.
Earlier right now, spokesperson for the Palestine Motion Group, Josh Lees, spoke outdoors the supreme courtroom forward of a listening to that can resolve if the protest will probably be “prohibited” or “authorised”.
If the protest is prohibited, organisers might nonetheless proceed with the protest. Nevertheless, members wouldn’t have immunity from being charged beneath the abstract offences act. Lees stated:
We put ahead a complete proposal for twenty-four August, we might have our march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge that will march similar routes to the World Delight March in 2023.
Lee stated that if the courtroom sided with police, there was a “actual risk” there would nonetheless be hundreds of people that turned up on Sunday decided to march throughout the bridge regardless.
It’s essential to be clear right here, if we lose the authorisation of this protest that doesn’t deem a protest illegal … It’s not prohibited in any real sense. Folks have the suitable to protest, to assemble and assemble, and it’s not an illegal act.

Ben Doherty
‘Fully preventable’ malnutrition disaster has prompted 74 deaths in Gaza this 12 months, WHO says
The World Health Group has recorded 74 malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza in 2025, 63 of which occurred in July. These deaths embody 24 youngsters beneath 5. The WHO stated in an announcement:
Most of those folks had been declared lifeless on arrival at well being amenities or died shortly after, their our bodies exhibiting clear indicators of extreme losing. The disaster stays solely preventable. Deliberate blocking and delay of large-scale meals, well being, and humanitarian assist has value many lives.
Save the Kids Australia CEO Mat Tinkler stated it was “merely a indisputable fact that nearly everybody in Gaza is ravenous and the federal government of Israel is accountable”. Tinker stated “solely severe intervention from the worldwide group … will forestall additional descent into mass hunger”.
The federal government of Israel has denied there’s widespread famine in Gaza, with the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying: “There isn’t a hunger in Gaza, no coverage of hunger in Gaza.”
Israel’s deputy chief of mission in Australia, Amir Meron, stated footage of emaciated youngsters in Gaza had been “false” and claimed the kids pictured had congenital situations. Meron stated:
We don’t recognise any famine or any hunger within the Gaza Strip. Israel has by no means acted in a coverage of hunger. There isn’t a such coverage. There isn’t a hunger within the Gaza Strip and there’s no willingness of Israel that such a factor will occur within the Gaza Strip.

Ben Doherty
Assist employee says situations in Gaza ‘hell on Earth’
An Australian assist employee has described situations in Gaza as “hell on Earth”, saying ravenous youngsters have stated they might somewhat die than proceed to endure the famine being imposed on the occupied territory by the Israeli authorities.
Georgia Tracey, an Australian just lately returned from Gaza, stated youngsters are telling assist staff they wish to die, saying:
What sort of depraved world are we dwelling in the place we permit youngsters to be so relentlessly attacked, starved and deeply traumatised that they would like to not reside any extra?
When a baby tells us that they might somewhat die than proceed to reside on this hell on earth that the Israeli authorities has compelled on them, how can we are saying something however how sorry we’re that humanity has failed them?
Save the Kids runs child-friendly areas inside Gaza. One of many actions inside its child-friendly areas in Gaza is a “wishing cloud”. Beforehand, youngsters have wished to attend faculty, for peace, or to see associates once more. In latest weeks, nevertheless, Save the Kids employees have reported youngsters wished to die.
One youngster wrote: “I want I used to be in heaven the place my mom is, in heaven there’s love and meals and water.”
Rhino horns made radioactive to foil traffickers in South African venture
A South African college has launched an anti-poaching marketing campaign to inject the horns of rhinos with radioactive isotopes that it says are innocent for the animals however could be detected by customs brokers, the Related Press studies.
Underneath the collaborative venture involving the College of the Witwatersrand, nuclear vitality officers and conservationists, 5 rhinos had been injected in what the college hopes would be the begin of a mass injection of the declining rhino inhabitants, which they’re calling the Rhisotope Mission.
Final 12 months, about 20 rhinos at a sanctuary had been injected with isotopes in trials that paved the best way for Thursday’s launch. The radioactive isotopes even at low ranges could be recognised by radiation detectors at airports and borders, resulting in the arrest of poachers and traffickers.
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This man surfed greater than 4,000 waves in 25 days
Blakey Johnston has damaged a world report by browsing 4,097 waves in 253 periods, over 25 days, at Urbnsurf Sydney, a wave pool for browsing. Every day was thought of to be as bodily difficult as working a marathon.
Learn extra right here: