NSW court bars pro-Palestine march to Opera House over safety fears

The New South Wales Court of Appeal on Thursday issued a prohibition order preventing a planned pro‑Palestine march to the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House on Sunday, concluding the public safety risks from tens of thousands of people gathering at the landmark were too great. The unanimous three‑judge panel, including Chief Justice Andrew Bell and Justices Ian Harrison and Stephen Free, granted the order after NSW Police sought urgent relief to halt the rally.

Police told the court they feared a crowd crush and insufficient routes for people to leave the Opera House forecourt safely. Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said organisers’ estimate of about 40,000 attendees could rapidly swell and that the site’s narrow approach would become a hazard. He told the court, "It has disaster written all over it" and warned that attempting to funnel large numbers through limited egress points would be dangerous, particularly if emergency services needed access.

Organisers from the Palestine Action Group had proposed managing the crowd by moving protesters in staggered segments from Hyde Park to the Opera House steps and pointed to three exit points from the forecourt: the Circular...