A group of Muslim men had already received police permission to worship during a Sydney protest before they were disrupted mid-prayer by officers, NSW Police Force has confirmed.
It comes amid mounting pressure for NSW Police to publicly apologise for the actions of officers during Monday night’s rally against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit.
The protest started peacefully before becoming violent after some protesters wanted to march to the NSW Parliament, which was not allowed under a Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD).
Footage from the event shows police forcibly removing a group of men while they were praying.
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NSW Police on Thursday confirmed the men had earlier been told they could continue their worship.
“The NSW police force has now become aware that a senior police officer had allowed a group of Muslim protesters to continue praying at Town Hall square on Monday evening,” a spokesperson said.
“The senior officer was attempting to relay that message to other officers who were carrying out a move-on direction during what was a noisy, dynamic and fast-moving situation.
“However, some worshippers were moved on before the message from the senior officer was able to be relayed.”Apology for ‘any offence taken’
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the move-on direction was not targeting any religion.
“I have apologised for any offence taken for interfering with that religious process,” he said in a statement.
Mal Lanyon said he apologised for any offence taken at the protest. (AAP: Bianca de Marchi)
Commissioner Lanyon on Wednesday said he had made contact with senior members of the Muslim community to apologise for “any offence that may have been taken”.
“When a large group got together on George Street and decided to march, despite clear directions that they were to disperse and not to march, and they became aggressive and violent towards police, police had to make an operational decision,” he told ABC Radio Sydney.
“I support the operational decision of a commander to disperse the crowd.”
Protesters clashed with police in Sydney, with some restrained and led away in handcuffs. (ABC News: Abubakr Sajid)
But Lebanese Muslim Association secretary Gamel Kheir said the commissioner’s private apology to select Muslim leaders did not go far enough.
“We’re calling for the commissioner and the premier [Chris Minns] to make a public apology on mainstream media, exactly the same way,” he said.
Independent federal MP Allegra Spender said an independent inquiry into the police response at the protest was needed to “restore public trust”.
Premier Chris Minns has doubled down in his defence of the police force, saying “constant protests form a risk to community cohesion”.