Planned Crackdown on Sydney Protest Against Israeli President Revealed
Encrypted messages suggest police were prepared to disperse protesters against Israeli President Isaac Herzog if crowd exceeded 6,000 people. Uncovers new details beyond public statements.
Planned Crackdown on Sydney Protest Against Israeli President Revealed
Newly released encrypted messages between senior New South Wales public servants have shed light on the police's planned response to a recent protest against the visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Sydney. The messages indicate that authorities were prepared to disperse the crowd if it exceeded 6,000 people - a detail not previously disclosed in public comments by the NSW Premier and Police Commissioner.
The protest, which drew thousands of demonstrators opposed to Herzog's visit, has been the subject of scrutiny and debate. According to the FoI-released correspondence, a senior public servant wrote that "police will be dispersing them if numbers exceed capacity", suggesting a pre-emptive plan to quell the gathering if it grew too large.
This contrasts with the public statements made by NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, which did not reference any specific crowd-control strategies or thresholds. The newly uncovered information provides a more comprehensive understanding of the authorities' approach to managing the high-profile protest.
The protest itself was marked by confrontations, with the Premier stating that demonstrators were
Source: The Guardian
