Australian lawmaker among several injured as protests over Israeli president’s visit erupt in violence
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Australian lawmaker among several injured as protests over Israeli president’s visit erupt in violence")
Police (L) stand guard as pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather outside a police station in Sydney’s Surry Hills on February 10, 2026, to condemn the police crackdown on protesters demonstrating against the Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia. Photograph: (AFP)
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he was devastated to see violence in the rallies. "These are really scenes that I think shouldn't be taking place," he said.
Violent clashes between police and protesters erupted in Sydney and Melbourne as thousands gathered to protest the four-day state visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Multiple people were injured, including New South Wales Greens MP Abigail, who claimed to have been punched by the police while attempting to leave the site.
Herzog's visit came on invitation of the Australian government and was intended to express solidarity with the Jewish community after the December terror attack Sydeny's Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.
Police detained 27 people in Sydney, including 10 accused of assaulting officers, after unrest broke out on Monday evening when police moved to clear thousands of protesters who gathered near Sydney's town hall.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said he was devastated to see violence in the rallies. "These are really scenes that I think shouldn't be taking place," he said.
"People should be able to express their views peacefully, but the police were very clear about the routes that were required if people wanted to march," he added.
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Herzog was taking part in an event for victims of the December 14 killings alongside thousands of mourners, near the site of the protest. He also met with students at a Jewish school in the Sydney suburbs.
The Israeli president is expected to meet with families of victims of the Bondi attack, the deadliest attack on the Jewish community since Hamas' assault on Israel on October 7, 2023.
On December 14, a father and son inspired by ISIS launched Australia’s deadliest terror attack at a Hanukkah event in Bondi Beach. The attackers targeted a crowd of 1,000 people with failed explosives and gunfire, killing 15 victims, including children and a Holocaust survivor. One gunman was killed by police, while the other was captured. The tragedy resulted in a national crisis, leading to significantly stricter gun laws and the current high-security visit of the Israeli President.
