Harbour Bridge protest: Labor figures Bob Carr, Ed Husic and Tony Sheldon slammed for Ayatollah photograph

Senior Labor figures Ed Husic, Tony Sheldon and Bob Carr say they were unaware a protester held up behind them an image of the Iranian Ayatollah holding a rifle as they led the weekend’s Gaza demonstration on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

An estimated 90,000 people demonstrated on the Bridge on Sunday, many carrying Palestinian, Aboriginal and Greens party flags.

Signs depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Adolf Hitler, who oversaw the extermination of six million Jews in the Holocaust leading to the creation of the state of Israel, were also spotted.

And one protester who stood closely behind prominent left-wing and government figures leading the march held up an image of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei.

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel berated the left-wing activists as “useful idiots of extreme Islam” and said many of those demonstrating, including women and the LGBTQI+ community, would be dead within a day if they set foot in Iran.

The images of the mass protest in the torrential rain, which shut down Australia’s most iconic landmark, made headlines across the world’s media.

Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who spent 804 days in Iranian prisons and tried and convicted in a sham trial on false accusations of carrying out “espionage for the Zionist regime,” said it was “profoundly disturbing” to see the portrait of the “mass-murdering” Iranian dictator “holding a rifle no less,” positioned directly behind the group of prominent Australians leading the march.

“Did this front line of protesters look behind them?” Ms Moore-Gilbert said.

“Were they and their advisers aware of the presence of this potent symbol, positioned as it was to ensure maximum media coverage and, for Khamenei and the Iranian regime, maximum propaganda value?”

Bob Carr, former Premier of New South Wales and who was hand-picked by former prime minister Julia Gillard to serve as Australia’s foreign minister between 2012 and 2013, posted an image on his social media that prominently showed an image of the Ayatollah being held up behind him.

Mr Carr said after serving as foreign minister that the “Israeli lobby,” in Melbourne, enjoyed “extraordinary influence” on Australian politics and that it had reached an “unhealthy level.”

When contacted by The Nightly, Mr Carr said he did notice Khamenei’s image behind him.

“I didn’t notice his picture or recognise him,” Mr Carr said in a statement that he also posted on social media.

“I oppose his regime for its dictatorial characteristics, its oppression of women, dissidents and gays and profligate use of capital punishment.

“I hope for its earliest possible overthrow by Iranian democrats.

“I can’t believe anyone would hold his portrait at such a peaceful and positive demonstration.

“I think there is a fair chance it was a provocateur.”

The image remains posted on Mr Carr’s X account.

Mr Carr marched alongside federal Labor figures Ed Husic — Australia’s first Muslim MP — Alison Byrnes, the Member for Cunningham and NSW Senator Tony Sheldon.

Senator Sheldon previously berated the former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella for failing to apologise for being photographed alongside former prime minister Tony Abbott at a carbon tax rally rally standing in front of protesters who held signs calling Australia’s first and only woman prime minister “Bob Brown’s bitch” and “Juliar.”

Senator Sheldon said he was proud to have taken part in the march.

“The image being highlighted wasn’t something I saw or would ever endorse, and it certainly doesn’t represent the purpose of the rally,” he said.

“The actions of a single misguided individual shouldn’t detract from the heartfelt message of thousands of multi-faith Australians who marched peacefully and compassionately to end the conflict and the terrible human suffering it has caused.”

Mr Husic, Australia’s first Muslim MP, who was demoted from Cabinet by his colleagues following the election, said the only cause he supported was for an end to the war in Gaza.

“Like thousands of others we were part of a March for Humanity calling for an end to the starvation and killing of innocent Palestinians,” he told The Nightly.

“I wasn’t there for any other cause and don’t endorse being associated with anything other than what I have spoken up for quite some time - the protection of innocent civilians in Gaza.”

However, Ms Haskel said it was beyond belief that serving politicians would behave in this way.

“Some of those protesters wouldn’t survive a day in Iran - a regime that terrorises its own people - particularly women, the LGBTQ community, and other minorities,” she said in a statement to The Nightly.

“It is beyond belief that these activists and a number of serving and former politicians in Australia would behave in this way, it shows you they truly are the useful idiots of extreme Islam.”

The opposition’s home affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie said Australians wanted ancient hatreds kept out of the country.

“Australians are sick of this ancient hatred on our streets,” he said.

“All of us hope (for) peace in the Middle East, but that seems impossible.

“We are sick of political leaders claiming the high ground on these issues only to caught in photos with photos of murderous dictators.

“Keep this garbage out of our country. We want our country back to normal.”

Other prominent Australians pictured against the Ayatollah’s image included Greens Party representatives Senator Mehreen Faruqi and NSW MLC Sue Higginson, the former Socceroo and one-time Chair of the Australian Republican Movement Craig Foster, and the far-left activist and former SBS Newsreader Mary Kostakidas.

It was also the first major outing for Julian Assange, who pleaded guilty to violating the US Espionage Act in a plea deal negotiated at the request of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in order for the WikiLeaks founder to evade extradition to the United States and trial under US law.

Senator Faruqi, Ms Higginson, Mr Foster, Clover Moore’s office and Assange were contacted for comment.

Ms Moore-Gilbert said it was particularly “triggering” to see Khamenei’s image held up in Sydney, as it was the one used by Iran on state media, which she was forced to view when held in solitary confinement after the Trump Administration assassinated Khamenei’s right-hand man Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

“For me, it was triggering (pun intended) and I can’t imagine how upsetting it must have been for the many thousands of Iranian refugees and other victims of the regime’s brutal violence who now call Australia home,” she said.

“It seems almost too obvious to have to state: Australians can oppose the starvation and bloodshed in Gaza, and call for an end to the war, without having to make common cause with one of the Middle East’s worst human rights abusers and perpetrators of mass atrocities.

“You can be an enemy of Israel without having to make the Iranian regime your friend.”

The Ayatollah’s stated goal is the destruction of the Jewish state, and Iran funds and supports several military terrorist groups in the region surrounding Israel, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7 triggered the war, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has used the conflict to weaken Iran and its proxies, including in Syria and Lebanon.

But its ongoing bombardment of Gaza has led to international condemnation by some of Israel’s allies.

Recently, France, the UK and Canada have said they will recognise the state of Palestine to try and pressure Israel to end the war, following images of starvation in Gaza. Israel controls access to Gaza and the distribution of aid, prompting urgings by US President Donald Trump that Israel ensure more Gazans get food.

But Israel says that unless the remaining 20 hostages that Hamas captured on October 7 are released, it will continue to try and eliminate Hamas from Gaza. Late Monday night, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a full occupation of Gaza.

On the weekend, Hamas released a video of one of the hostages, Evyatar David, in an emaciated state in a tunnel in Gaza being forced to dig his own grave, triggering protests in Israel.