Pro-Palestinian protestors slammed for throwing flares on Sydney’s Opera House
Stewart Perrie
Featured Image Credit: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images.
Pro-Palestinian protestors have marched through the streets of Sydney amid the escalating war in the Middle East.
Hamas militants launched the bloodiest attack on Israel in decades over the weekend and have been responsible for close to 1,000 deaths.
Scores of civilians have been killed, wounded and taken hostage in the coordinated assault.
More than 250 people were shot dead after Hamas fighters arrived at a techno music festival in the Israeli desert and opened fire.
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Israel has since launched retaliatory strikes on Gaza, which has brought whole buildings to the ground.
The Palestinian health ministry says 687 people have been killed and more than 3,700 have been injured so far.
Sydney was a tale of two sides of the story last night.
The Opera House was lit up in blue and white lights as the city stood by Israel in the wake of the attacks.
NSW Premier Chris Minns says it was important to show the state's 'solidarity with the Jewish Communities' during this difficult time.
However, just before this moment, pro-Palestinians marched from Town Hall to the Opera House and called for Australia to sever ties with Israel and show 'solidarity with Palestine' instead.
They chanted 'resistance is justified when Palestine is occupied' as they walked towards the harbour.
Once they arrived, they gathered close to the steps of the iconic landmark and were met by a wall of police officers.
They continued protesting and some even lit up flares and threw them at the Opera House.
Videos of this moment have been circulated on social media and people have been furious to see flares being tossed at an Australian landmark.
One viewer wrote: "I'm outraged by the assault on national icon that stands to testimony of this nation ability to live free and in harmony with its citizens."
Another said it was 'disgraceful' to see that sort of behavior.
Some of the pro-Palestinian protestors also burned Israeli flags and The Daily Telegraph reports they chanted 'f**k Israel' and 'f**k the Jews'.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for the march to be called off yesterday.
He told 2GB Radio before the event happened: “I absolutely believe [the march] should not [go ahead]. I think people need to really take a step back.”
A spokesperson for the New South Wales Premier's office told the ABC this morning: "[It] does not represent the people of NSW. This sort of behaviour incites violence and creates division."