Australian news and politics live: Albanese ‘devastated’, Minns blasts protesters after violent clashes

Protest groups have gathered on Tuesday morning to accuse the NSW Government and NSW Police of a “monumental failure” over the actions taken at the anti-Herzog protests.

NSW Police had offered protesters the opportunity to demonstrate at Hyde Park, but instead they demanded the Town Hall.

The decision went all the way to the Supreme Court, and was rejected, but protesters defied Government and police direction and gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall, something police say caused an “impossible” situation.

NSW MP Sue Higginson of the Greens said that NSW Police should have allowed the protesters to march from Town Hall to State Parliament, and no violence or clashes would have occurred.

In the statement, the protest group acknowledged that people wanted to march, despite organisers assuring NSW Police that no one would march.

Chris Minns has labelled the anti-Herzog protests “a riot”, saying NSW Police avoided “chaos” on the streets on Monday night.

“One of the things you didn’t see last night, because it didn’t happen, was protestors breaching police lines,” Mr Minns said on Tuesday.

The Commissioner and Premier said protesters would have been able to “choose your own adventure” to take over city streets and potentially clash with Jewish mourners nearby.

In response to viral footage of police removing a group of Muslim men praying, Mr Minns said NSW Police were forced to make “critical” safety decisions and did not target anyone of a particular faith.

Premier Chris Minns and NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon have again blasted anti-Herzog protestors, applauding police for their action to keep 7000 Jewish mourners in the Sydney CBD and the community safe.

Mr Minns said it was an “impossible” situation to get right as demonstrators illegally gathered near where 7000 Jewish Australians and the Israeli President were holding an event.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley says the volatility shown by anti-Herzog protestors in Sydney was something never seen before by NSW Police.

“That volatile crowd, I’ve been told by police, is one that they have not seen so aggressive before,” she said on Tuesday.

“However, they (NSW Police) were able to disperse the crowd after some period of time and keep our community safe.”

Cabinet minister Tanya Plibersek has called on the Australian commuinty to ‘take a deep breath’ and reflect on the reason for Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit.

She said the government always understood that the visit might be controversial in some quarters, but added: “I would ask the Australian community just to take a deep breath and reflect on the reason for the visit.

“Fifteen people have been murdered in Australia’s worst domestic terrorist event, and there’s a grieving community saying that this visit will bring them comfort.”

The protests in Sydney took place in Ms Plibersek’s electorate. She has spent a substantial amount of time since December 14 comforting the Jewish community in her electorate.

She said once the police and courts had ruled that the protests had to be stationary at Town Hall or march in a different part of the city, the organisers “should have heeded that advice”.

Ms Plibersek added the videos of police and protesters clashing were “very concerning” and called for them to be investigated.

The Liberal party room is meeting this morning, ahead of an anticipated joint meeting with the Nationals, now that the Coalition is back together.

So far, everything is quiet out of the meeting, despite increasingly feverish speculation that Angus Taylor and backers are poised to launch a leadership challenge.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull – who has some experience on both sides of leadership challenges – is also in Parliament House, although he’s here in his capacity as the president of the International Hydropower Association rather than to offer any advice to his former colleagues.

Independent Andrew Gee, who quit the Nationals last term and retained his seat, had no shortage of advice, though, using a radio interview to urge more country MPs to join him on the crossbench.

He said the shenanigans in the Liberals and Nationals at the moment were “vainglorious lunacy” and that he was glad to be out of it.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Tony Abbott has thanked NSW Police for their “strong” response to “pro-terrorist” protestors in Sydney.

“A big thank you to the New South Wales police for their strong actions last night,” the former PM wrote on Facebook.

“It’s about time the police took control of the streets from intimidatory protesters.

“Well done premier Chris Minns for showing the strength needed against the kind of pro-terrorist protests we’ve seen too often.

“As the chants showed, these ratbags are against Australia as much as they’re against Israel.”

Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam has insisted there will be no leadership spill today but says the matter needs to be “brought to a head” so the party can get back to business.

It comes amid fever-pitch speculation that rival Angus Taylor will challenge current leader Sussan Ley.

“If there is an intention for leadership to change, then people need to make their views clear,” the Tasmanian Senator told Sky News.

“If they’re not going to, they need to rule it out. So, if there’s anyone out there that wants to have a crack at the leadership, then say so, and let’s get on with the job.”

The Liberals’ focus and resources have been divided across Senate estimates hearings on Tuesday morning, meaning many weren’t able to attend the scheduled Liberal party room meeting.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has repeatedly called for social cohesion following the Bondi Beach terror attack, says he is “devastated” by the scenes at the Sydney protests on Monday night.

“I’m devastated by it,” he told Triple M Hobart on Tuesday morning.

“These are scenes that I think shouldn’t be taking place.

“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, to go a particular route, and to ensure that this was done peacefully.

“The causes are not advanced by these sorts of scenes, indeed, they’re undermined.”

Mr Albanese said demonstrators should protest in “an appropriate way”.

“Now people will have different views about the Middle East, and we have been critical and have received some criticism from the Israeli Government,” he said.

“But we do need to be able to have people express any views peacefully in an appropriate way.”

The organisers of Sydney’s protest on Monday say heavy-handed police unleashed “violent repression” on protesters who demonstrated against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia.

Around 6000 people gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday night, against police orders under extraordinary powers granted by the Government following the Bondi Beach terror attack.

“Instead of respecting the right of 50,000 people who turned up to express their outrage against our government celebrating someone accused of inciting genocide, the police resorted to unleashing unseen violent repression,” Palestine Action Group Sydney wrote in a social media post.

NSW Police say 29 people were arrested.

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NSW Premier Chris Minns says he can now reveal that the Government and NSW Police were attempting to avoid a clash between pro-Palestinian activists and Jewish Australian mourners on Monday.

“One of the things that we couldn’t reveal yesterday, but we can speak about today, is that there were 7000 Jewish mourners in the city at the same time that police were trying to keep separate from protest organisers,” Mr Minns told Sunrise on Tuesday.

The event that Mr Minns mentioned was held at the ICC in Darling Harbour, just 500 meters from Sydney’s Town Hall, and was attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. The closest train station to the ICC is Town Hall Station.

“If those two came together, and police allowed a breach of that line... Yeah, I appreciate the scenes on television didn’t look good, but it would have been far, far worse,” Mr Minns said.

“So yes, I support police in a very difficult set of circumstances. Of course, they were trying to keep the public safe, and the record shows they did everything possible to avoid these confrontations.”