Thousands of demonstrators gathered in central Melbourne on Thursday evening to protest the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, marking the final day of his four-day trip to Australia that has drawn large-scale rallies and clashes with police in other cities.
The rally in Melbourne’s central business district followed earlier demonstrations in Canberra and Sydney, where police and protesters confronted one another earlier this week. Authorities in Victoria said they anticipated about 5,000 people would attend the Melbourne event, which unfolded near one of the city’s main railway stations.
Herzog’s visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and follows the December 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 15 people dead. Australian officials have not publicly linked the invitation directly to that attack, but the trip has been framed by both governments as an opportunity to reaffirm bilateral ties and address concerns about antisemitism.
In Melbourne, demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and wore black-and-white keffiyeh scarves as they assembled in the city centre. The protest remained largely orderly during the early stages, with police maintaining a visible presence in the surrounding streets. Neville Steer, 69, said he travelled about an hour from the coastal suburb of McCrae to attend. “My concern is for the people in Palestine and particularly in Gaza, the impact that Israel’s having on the whole population,” he said.
Elijah Fokkens, 20, said images circulating on social media had prompted him to join the rally. He said he was “protesting Herzog being as destructive and as implicit as he is in this genocide. I think it’s really important to show up and demand our government do better”.
Protesters have cited findings by a United Nations Commission of Inquiry that concluded last year that Israel committed genocide in Gaza and that senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Herzog, incited such acts. Israel has rejected those allegations, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated. The Israeli government has consistently denied committing genocide in Gaza.
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Graffiti discovered on the campus of the University of Melbourne earlier on Thursday, which called for Herzog’s death, was referred to police, the university said in a statement. There was no indication the vandalism was connected to the organised protest in the city centre.
Herzog’s itinerary included stops in Sydney and Canberra before concluding in Melbourne. In Sydney on Monday evening, a protest against his visit escalated into violence. New South Wales Police said 27 people were arrested after demonstrators and officers clashed in the central business district.
Police and protest organisers each accused the other of provoking the confrontation. Authorities said officers were assaulted and responded by deploying tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Several officers and protesters were treated for minor injuries, police said at the time.
In Canberra earlier this week, demonstrators also gathered near Parliament House during Herzog’s meetings with senior Australian officials. Those protests were peaceful, according to police.
Herzog addressed concerns about rising antisemitism in Australia during an interview broadcast on Channel Seven on Thursday. “There is antisemitism. It is frightening and worrying, but there’s also a silent majority of Australians who seek peace, who respect the Jewish community, and of course, want a dialogue with Israel,” he said. He rejected accusations by some protesters that he bore responsibility for alleged crimes in Gaza. The claim that he was involved in genocide was a “lie”, he said.
Later in the day, Herzog attended a Jewish community event in Melbourne’s southern suburbs. A significant police presence was stationed outside the venue as demonstrators gathered nearby. Addressing the audience inside, Herzog described the security arrangements as unusual. “It is obscure and odd that such a heavy police presence is needed outside,” he said.
Referring to the protesters, he added: “I say to all those protesters outside, go protest in front of the Iranian embassy or whichever embassy they have.”
The visit has unfolded against the backdrop of continuing international scrutiny of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The conflict escalated after Hamas militants carried out attacks in southern Israel in October 2023, prompting a sustained Israeli military campaign in the Palestinian territory. Civilian casualties and humanitarian conditions in Gaza have been the subject of ongoing debate and investigation at the United Nations and other international forums.
Australia has historically maintained close diplomatic and defence ties with Israel, while successive governments have supported a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Albanese’s government has also expressed concern about civilian casualties in Gaza and called for adherence to international law.
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Security arrangements for Herzog’s visit were heightened in multiple cities, reflecting tensions within parts of the Australian community over the war in Gaza and domestic concerns about antisemitism and Islamophobia. Police in Victoria and New South Wales said they were working to balance the right to protest with public safety obligations.
As Herzog’s trip concluded in Melbourne on Thursday night, police said they would continue monitoring gatherings and reviewing any incidents linked to the demonstrations. Authorities in New South Wales confirmed that those arrested in Sydney earlier in the week would face court proceedings, with dates to be set in accordance with standard procedures.