Pro-Palestine group suffer devastating blow as planned Story Bridge protest in Brisbane knocked back

Pro-Palestine protesters have been dealt a huge blow in their bid to march across Brisbane’s iconic Story Bridge, after a court blocked the planned demonstration.

But the group has vowed to go ahead with their assembly regardless this weekend, with organiser Remah Naji saying they were “still considering their options” after the court loss.

“We’re here in the first place because Israel is committing a genocide. According to the International Court of Justice, there is a plausible genocide occurring,” Ms Naji said outside Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday afternoon.

“Our government has an obligation to prevent and punish genocide.”

Orders were being sought by Queensland Police to block the march by the Justice for Palestine (JFP) Magan-djin (Brisbane) group across the Story Bridge.

Up to 7000 people could march but that number could go as high as 10,000.

In a legal challenge lodged to the Brisbane Magistrates Court, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) argued the march posed too great of a risk to the public.

On Thursday, the order to allow protesters to cross the bridge was refused by chief magistrate Janelle Brassington.

She acknowledged the group’s “good intentions” in organising the march and had made attempts to mitigate any risks that might be posed to public safety.

But Ms Brassington said the group did not have the relevant expertise or experience to manage these risks, and risked hindering emergency services – even if the group were to keep a single lane of the bridge open.

“I am satisfied the applicant (Commissioner of Queensland Police) has established, on its evidence, a real and significant risk of the safety of persons in this case, on the proposed route,” she ruled.

Ms Brassington said the numbers at the Sydney march showed how easily organisers could be overwhelmed.

However, she reiterated that a refusal of authorisation did not make public assembly “unlawful”.

JFP organiser Rouba Rayan said they were “disappointed” in the decision.

She told waiting media Israel was “starving over one million children” and had been “indiscriminately killing Palestinian children” – including her cousin who died in an air strike.

“We may not have had the judgment in our favour today, but we will continue to fight for freedom and justice until our federal government ends the weapons trade with Israel,” she said.

Ms Naji said the group was weighing up options about a possible appeal and the route for the march on Sunday.

“We have demonstrated over the past 22 months that we are able to organise rallies and demonstrations that are safe and inclusive and family-friendly,” she said.

Asked if she was prepared to be arrested if she still marched across the bridge, Ms Naji said: “I am prepared to do everything in my power to pressure my government to act in accordance with international law.”

“The plan is still to assemble at one o’clock at Raymond Park.”

In a statement issued shortly after the ruling, Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie said: “The courts have backed our police and we call on event organisers to respect the decision of the court.”

“If protestors defy the decision of the court, it will not only put people at risk, it will also take hundreds of police away from responding to crime,” he continued.

Cops’ ‘serious’ concern to public safety

During the hearing, Rhys Wildman, Acting Assistant Queensland Police Commissioner of the Brisbane Region, told the court police would always support the right to a peaceful assembly but said the QPS needed to balance that against the public safety that might be put at risk.

He said on an average year, the police’s major events planning unit in Brisbane delivered over 500 planned and unplanned events – including protests.

“In relation to this particular event, we absolutely have no objections to the protests organisers or the group,” he said.

“It’s around the route they are proposing, going across the Story Bridge.”

Commissioner Wildman said a Lions AFL game at The Gabba was also set to occur on the same day as the planned protest.

Up to 30,000 people – a standard figure for a Lions game – were expected to attend the match.

“It is normal for patrons to arrive early and obtain parking and transport into those locations,” he said.

“We already have a policing commitment around that venue.”

Commissioner Wildman said he had “significant” concerns police would be able to keep protesters and officers safe as a result of the clashing events.

The court was told significant events which occurred on the Story Bridge took “months and months” of planning.

“In an unplanned event such as this (protest) we have 7000 protesters … crossing the bridge. We have no understanding of who is participating,” Commissioner Wildman said.

“I have serious concerns around the safety of the bridge itself, particularly around the footpaths.”

He explained protesters could jump the foot rails bordering the path – which had been deemed unsafe by the Brisbane City Council.

Commissioner Wildman told the court there was a risk the protesters could also cross over into pedestrian traffic from the planned start route at Raymond Park in Kangaroo Point, in addition to crossing into nearby streets.

“This is a community safety issue for me … it is not a protest issue,” he said.

The full police numbers were still being determined but Commissioner Wildman said other units across southeast Queensland would be needed to ensure public safety.

Commissioner Wildman addressed the recent march across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, telling the court there were communication issued between the marshals and protesters on the day.

Police estimated 90,000 people took part in the march – leading to officers telling demonstrators to turn around due to the sheer volume of people finishing the protest.

Campaigners say the number of attendees was closer to 300,000.

Commissioner Wildman said it would be “extremely challenging” to order protesters in this planned march to turn around in similar circumstances.

During cross-examination, he acknowledged plans would be in place on Sunday regardless of the outcome of the hearing and police would have the powers to deal with breaches of the peace.

This includes whether anyone would climb onto the blocked footpaths.

Defence barrister Angus Scott KC asked why “thousands” of similar protests, such as Black Lives Matter and Climate Strike rallies, were allowed to march under police directions.

Commissioner Wildman said many had marched along the Victoria Bridge and reiterated significant planning and police resources had gone into managing those marches.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson from NSW Police, who was the operations commander at the time of the Sydney Harbour Bridge march, also gave evidence over the phone.

Commissioner Johnson said marshals from the Sydney protest became “overwhelmed” and NSW Police took control – at the request of the Palestine Action Group Sydney – early on.

The court was told there were fears of a crowd crush during the rally.

Mr Scott submitted the event could reasonably be managed by authorities, noting the Sydney rally still went ahead despite the police attempt to stop it.

“In consequence, whether or not the court gave the approval, there wouldn’t be a significant impact on public safety,” he said.

Mr Scott said the effective submission from police was: “This has never been done before, so we don’t know what’s going to happen, in circumstances where mass rallies occur all the time.”

“This (JFP) is a credible organisation that has measures in place to deal with the issues that have been raised,” he continued.

Chief Magistrate Janelle Brassington said she had considered the “high standard” because of the importance of protests and that the court would not simply block them out of “mere inconvenience”.

“Balanced against that, you have the evidence of those who are experts in the assessment of the risk,” she said.