1m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 4:04amMarch toward Sydney Harbour Bridge begins
Our reporters on the ground tell us the protesters in Sydney have begun to make their way toward the harbour bridge.
Here’s an overhead view of the march captured by a traffic camera at the York and Margaret Street intersection a few minutes ago.
(NSW Government)
The weather is still quite gloomy over the city and webcams of the bridge currently have low visibility, which may make it tough to get wide views of the crowd.
11m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:55amJulian Assange joins thousands at wet Sydney protest
WikiLeaks founder and activist Julian Assange, who has kept a low profile since returning to Australia from a British prison in June last year, has appeared in Sydney’s Lang Park for the protest.
Julian Assange joined the Sydney demonstration. (AAP: Dean Lewins )
Assange did not address the crowd.
The demonstration, which has attracted thousands of people despite the wet, foggy and windy conditions in central Sydney this afternoon, has begun to march towards the bridge.
17m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:49am
‘Today we will make history’: Senator Faruqi addresses crowd
Greens senator for NSW Mehreen Faruqi has addressed a rowdy crowd in Sydney’s Lang Park.
She noted there was a diverse crowd in attendance and said “together today we will make history”.
Farqui said NSW Premier Chris Minns’Â calls for the protest to not go ahead this week was not about the disruption it would cause Sydneysiders but “protecting Israel and the Labor government from accountability”.
“We are not silent, we will not be silent. Come and hear us roar for Palestine,” she said in remarks directed at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minns, inviting them to attend “next time”.
(ABC News)
“The truth is, the moral stupor, the cowardice … and the complicity has allowed Israel to do what they have done with impunity, massacring and killing Palestinians.
“We want the harshest sanctions on Israel.”
Israel has denied there is mass starvation and genocide occurring in Gaza.
Minns this week told the ABC he understood protesters’ concerns and he wanted “the killing to stop as well” but the closure of the bridge would be massively inconvenient for the whole city.
Albanese has attracted criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governmentfor saying last Sunday saying the scenes of starving children were “indefensible”.
24m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:42am
‘World must rebuild with Australia at forefront’, Craig Foster says
Among the speakers at the Sydney rally is former Socceroo and Australian of the Year, Craig Foster.
He decried what he saw as the “pressure to say nothing” but told the crowd that in doing so “we lose the most important part of ourselves the right of resistance”.
(ABC News)
He urged Australians and the government to do more, and to take the lead in ending the violence.
“As a country we’ve said much but not acted as we must, the starving children of Gaza cannot wait another day,” he said.
“The world must rebuild with Australia at the forefront … let’s respond with courage, solidarity, fairness and unyielding strength.
“Australians are a very proud and strong people, we do not bend, we do not break, and despite all the pressure to do so — when the world needs us we do not look away.”
34m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:31am
Rally continues in Melbourne
Speeches, chanting and music continues on the steps of the State Library in Melbourne where the rally began more than hour ago.
The library is on Swanston Street in a part of Melbourne’s CBD that is closed to traffic.
But many tram services run along Swanston Street, and they’re either halted or diverting through other city streets.
The march to King Street Bridge is expected to begin soon.
Police say it’ll cause major traffic disruptions.
(ABC News: Joseph Dunstan)
(ABC News)
45m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:21am
Why have the protesters targeted King Street Bridge?
Speakers at the Melbourne rally are reiterating that they’re aiming for a peaceful protest and they’ve criticised police and the media for suggesting today’s action could include violence.
The crowd is being told that today’s protest doesn’t intend to cause havoc for Melburnians, but that the disruptions aim to engage members of the wider community so they understand what’s happening in Gaza.
(ABC News)
Before the speeches started, national co-convenor of Students For Palestine Australia, Bella Beiraghi revealed why the protesters have chosen to march to King Street Bridge after the speeches.
“Melbourne doesn’t quite have the Sydney Harbour Bridge … but it’s just really important that we do take to the streets and actually disrupt the streets for Gaza.”
55m agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:11am
Music, chants and drums at Sydney’s Lang ParkLoading…
The ABC’s Pablo Vinales is at Lang Park, the starting point for the Sydney march.
This is what he says:
“It’s pretty cold and wet here, but hundreds of demonstrators are starting to arrive.
“Music is playing, drums are beating and there are chants of Free, free Palestine.”
(ABC News: Patrick Martin)
“Final preparations are also underway with a number of speakers to address the crowd, including former Socceroo Craig Foster and Palestinian writer Randa Abdel-Fattah, before they all march across the bridge.
“Organisers have said they’re expecting tens of thousands to join and there’s also a heavy police presence here facilitating the protest.”
(ABC News: Patrick Martin)1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 3:03amSpeeches due to begin in Sydney
The rain has set in over Sydney now.
Speeches are due to begin shortly, ahead of the march across the harbour bridge.
(ABC News: Liam Patrick)
(ABC News: Liam Patrick)
(ABC News: Liam Patrick)
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:52am
Sydney protesters brave the weather
(AAP: Dean Lewins)
Sydney protesters will need to brave the cold, wind and rain as they make their way across the harbour bridge, with showers expected for most of the day.
(AAP: Dean Lewins )
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts winds near the coast could reach between 25 to 35 kilometres per hour.
Sydney has received 7 millimetres of rain since 9am this morning, according to the weather bureau.
(AAP: Dean Lewins)
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:44am
Melbourne protest to cause disruptions in CBD
A protest is scheduled to start in Melbourne’s CBD from midday.
It’s been organised by the Free Palestine Coalition and described as a peaceful protest to bring attention to the starvation in Gaza.
It’s due to start on the steps of State Library with speeches, as has been happening each week in Melbourne.
But in an escalation of the usual protest activity, the large crowd is then expected to march down Swanston and Flinders Street to King Street Bridge.
Victoria Police has warned it will cause major traffic disruptions, including closing the busy bridge which connects Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs to the CBD.
The protest organisers say it’s being held in solidarity with the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest as they call on the government to apply sanctions against Israel.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:42am
Police urge protesters not to block Melbourne traffic
On Friday, Victoria Police called on protesters not to block King Street Bridge in Melbourne’s CBD, saying it would cause “significant disruptions”.
“Our message for the protest group is to find another route, because all you’ll be doing is disrupting vital emergency services and people just trying to earn a living,” Victoria Police Superintendent Troy Papworth said.
Papworth said Victoria Police had supported peaceful protests each weekend but had information that a small group of people were planning to engage in confrontation and criminal behaviour.
The protest organisers said they rejected Papworth’s comments and had been negotiating with Victoria Police to uphold their right to protest.
Jacinta Allan (ABC News)
This morning, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she had received a final briefing from Victoria Police about their plan for dealing with the protest.
She gave a warning to those planning to attend the protest.
“Anyone who tries to block emergency services or everyday Victorians moving around the city safely will be dealt with swiftly by Victoria Police.”
This weekend’s Labor state conference voted to recognise Palestinian statehood.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:37am
Police advise to avoid non-essential travel in Sydney
If you’re in Sydney today and not taking part in the march, police are encouraging you to avoid non-essential travel.
There will be six trains an hour from North Sydney, but with the Metro down, Transport for NSW director of operations management Craig Moran says the rail network is expected to be stretched.Â
“The key issue is we’re encouraging people to avoid all non-essential travel,” Mr Moran said.
“People are going to be diverting from buses, so the trains are going to be very busy this afternoon.”
The Harbour Tunnel will remain open but will likely be very busy.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:27am
Sydney march route
The plan for the Sydney march, according to organisers, is for protesters to gather at Lang Park in the CBD at 1pm.
A number of speakers are scheduled to address the crowd at the park, including Indigenous actor Meyne Wyatt, Mehreen Faruqi from the Greens, and former Australian of the Year and retired soccer player Craig Foster.
Protesters will then march across the harbour bridge and end up at Bradfield Park in North Sydney about 3pm.
1h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:19amMelbourne protest underway
A large crowd has gathered at Melbourne’s State Library on Swanston Street, spreading across the front lawn and the footpath.
People are waving flags and holding signs.
Organisers of the Melbourne rally have encouraged participants to bring along pots and pans.
They say it’s a symbolic reminder of the starvation occurring in Gaza.
Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza and says it is taking steps for more aid to reach its population.
Speeches are now underway, criticising the federal and Victorian governments for not doing more towards ending the war, including sanctions on Israel.
(ABC News)2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 2:02amSydney Harbour Bridge empty of traffic
That’s not something you see every day!
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an international landmark but also a super busy throughfare for traffic — a large part of the reason authorities sought to prevent the protest was the inconvenience it would cause.
The bridge is now largely cleared of traffic (bar some stragglers!). Here’s how it looks:
Final cars cross Sydney Harbour Bridge. (ABC News)
Some of the final cars to cross the bridge before the protesters make their way on. (ABC News)
Trains will continue to cross the bridge even though it’s closed to traffic. (ABC News)
Police have closed entry to the bridge. (ABC News)
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 1:58am
Protesters begin to gather in Sydney
Protesters are beginning to assemble in the Sydney CBD. NSW Police said there would be “hundreds” of officers in attendance today as the Harbour Bridge is shut down for the march.
Demonstrators gather in the Sydney CBD (ABC News: Liam Patrick)
A police helicopter circles above the Sydney CBD (ABC News: Liam Patrick )
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 1:49am
Hundreds of police stationed around Harbour Bridge
Hundreds of police officers will be stationed around the Sydney Harbour Bridge this afternoon as the march takes place.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson said the officers were drafted in due to concerns of “crowd crush”.
He noted that it’s not known how many protesters are expected to participate in today’s panned action.
“Ten thousand, fifty thousand, a hundred thousand — we really don’t know,” he said.
You can read more about the planned police presence below.
2h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 1:38am
Welcome to our live coverage
Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of today’s pro-Palestinian marches in Sydney and Melbourne.
Police have just closed the Sydney Harbour Bridge to traffic. It’s expected to remain shut down for hours as the Sydney march moves from Lang Park to Bradfield Park.
Stay with us for updates on the demonstrations throughout the day.