Pro-Palestine marches: Why Sydney’s violent anti-war protesters are hypocrites

Inside the building, sailors, soldiers and civilian military experts discussed the latest equipment, from diving suits to radars, used protect democratic states from foreign threats.

Outside, veterans of Sydney’s years-long pro-Palestinian marches encouraged protesters to shout abuse and try to break through barriers erected to protect other people from them.

The event, the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition, may be the biggest defence trade show held in Sydney. More than 700 companies, organisations and government departments, including more than a dozen US states, sent representatives. Among them was Admiral Stephen Koehler, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, the largest on earth.

Emboldened by their success pressuring the Albanese government to turn against Israel, Joshua Lees and other far-left leaders used the event to place themselves, once again, in the centre of public attention. The group displayed a sign outside the International Convention Centre proclaiming “Stop Arming Genocide”. (A smaller version included the words: “Vote 1 Greens.”)

“We’re here to peacefully protest against an evil weapons convention of war criminals,” Mr Lees told a television interviewer.

The allegation was offensive to the many men and women in uniform inside who have devoted their lives to defending Australia and other nations seeking Western help.

Among them was one of Australia’s greatest military aviation leaders — a man who flew more than 800 hours combat missions in Afghanistan to protect a fledging democracy from theocratic Muslim rule.

Like many veterans, he is too modest to take credit for his service, even though Black Hawk pilots had a greater chance of dying, statistically, than any other Western role in the war, including special forces assaulters.

Guns to Israel?

As for the claim Australia arms Israel, that is untrue, the federal Labor government has repeatedly said. Disbelievers have not been able to produce any contradictory evidence.

Truth is usually irrelevant to propagandists, though, and a slogan like “Stop protecting Pacific islands from China” doesn’t have the same rallying power as the genocidal insult that has become central to the left’s demonisation of Israel’s defensive war against the terrorist group that invaded it two years ago.

On the banks of Sydney’s Darling Harbour, two Israeli companies turned up. Elbit Systems makes remote-controlled aircraft, which would appear to represent the future of air warfare. Rafael Advanced Defence Systems built the Iron Dome missile interceptor that has probably saved hundreds of Israeli lives from Hamas and Hezbollah rocket attacks, and potentially thousands of Palestinians by making retaliatory strikes unnecessary.

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy had the moral courage to defend the purchase of Israeli weaponry. “We make no apology for making sure that our soldiers, sailors and aviators have the best equipment to protect Australia’s interests and provide deterrence in our region,” he said.

One protester held a sign with Defence Minister Richard Marles’ name next to bloody hand prints, perhaps forgetting that Australia’s ally, led by President Donald Trump, played a pivotal role in ending the war that Palestinians began.

Violence

While protesting violence, the protestors engaged in it. Around 6.30am, a group of protesters left the area near the convention centre that had been set aside for them. Ignoring police instructions, they moved towards the entrance in an apparent attempt to block access to the building.

A couple of hours later 50 to 100 protesters tried to breach a line of police who had assembled to prevent them getting to the building, where hundreds of attendees, including many in uniform, were arriving and having their credentials checked.

Shouting “free, free Palestine,” they engaged in a shoving match with the police. As the encounter turned into a test of strength, numbers and aggression, one of the police officers briefly fired pepper spray into the crowd, which ignored it. Another police officer’s face was splattered with red paint, injuring his eye. Some protestors wielded pieces of fencing towards the police.

“I must emphasise police did not go out with an intent to use force this morning,” Superintendent Paul Dunstan said. “We were set upon by a pack of very angry protesters and we were required to use an amount of force commensurate with what was forced upon us.”

Among the protesters’ supporters was a Sydney University English lecturer, David Riemer, who compared the police to farm animals. “Riot cops beside themselves with excitement at having been released from their pens,” he wrote on X.

Safer ground

Unable to disrupt a peaceful act of commerce, the protesters returned to more familiar ground outside Sydney’s Town Hall, knowing mayor Clover Moore had already declared she was on their side. As the protesters moved across the city, disrupting traffic and the lives of working Sydneysiders, they were followed by police on horses. Thirteen were arrested.

Inside the convention centre, visitors were mostly oblivious to the drama. One said: “They’ll be protesting the horses this afternoon.”

In typical American style, Admiral Koehler charmed his hosts. The former carrier pilot made it sound like turning up to a trade show was the most exciting thing he had done in a long time. “To say that I am fired up to be here is an understatement,” he said.

When most of the protesters had finally gone home, Joshua Lees was still fighting. He turned up at a press conference at police headquarters aimed at explaining the police’s version of the day’s events.

“Mr Lees, now is not the time or place,” Superintendent Dunstan said as the protest organiser interrupted him. “Josh, I will speak to you after this has occurred.”

After today’s violence, many Sydneysiders might hope that Mr Lees receives more than a talking to by the NSW Police Force.