Teenager charged by police for displaying Hezbollah flag at Sydney protest

New South Wales police have charged a 19-year-old woman after she allegedly displayed a Hezbollah flag at an anti-Israeli protest on Sunday.

The woman was charged by officers working under Operation Shelter, a taskforce established in October last year to ensure community safety around protests.

On Wednesday, the woman handed herself in at Kogarah Police Station after a public appeal.

She was arrested and charged with causing the public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol.

She was bailed under strict conditions to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, October 23.

The charge follows days of intense political debate, with Opposition Leder Peter Dutton repeatedly calling for protesters who waved Hezbollah flags to be charged by police.

The comments led for a tit-for-tat between Mr Dutton and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who took a political swipe at Mr Dutton before accusing him of playing politics.

On Tuesday afternoon, Mr Dutton issued a brutal takedown of the ABC after a journalist from the public broadcaster stunned onlookers by asking during a press conference why Hezbollah’s flag was banned and not Israel.

Mr Dutton responded that Israel is a “democracy, and is not run by a terrorist organisation”, before saying the ABC was in “greater trouble” than he imagined if that was the view of its staff.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged pro-Palestine supporters against staging protests on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel.

“October 7 — I think that people should recognise the sensitivity which is there and have a bit of common sense and see whether their cause will be advanced or whether it will be set back,” Mr Albanese said.

“My view is there is nothing to be served by that.”

More to come.