Australian Police Arrest 27, Use Pepper Spray on Pro-Palestine Protesters During Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s Visit

During Israeli President Isaac Herzog's official visit to Australia, large pro-Palestine demonstrations in Sydney escalated into clashes with police.

“About 30,000 people gathered outside Sydney Town Hall to protest Israeli PM Isaac Herzog’s visit”

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The confrontations involved pepper spray, mounted units and mass arrests, and authorities said 27 people were detained.

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Footage of the events prompted public condemnation and calls for probes into policing tactics, while multiple outlets reported police using chemical agents and mounted officers to disperse crowds as organisers tried to breach restricted lines during a designated major event.

Authorities invoked rarely used "major event" powers and deployed a substantial security operation ahead of Herzog's itinerary.

They said the measures were needed to protect the high-profile visit after the Bondi Beach Hanukkah shooting, and organisers lost a court challenge to the restrictions.

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Several outlets reported thousands of officers and road closures, and noted the legal basis for restricting marches and moving crowds.

Opponents said the measures curtailed the right to protest.

Footage and witness accounts showed officers punching, dragging and separating Muslim men who were praying, and there were allegations of mounted charges.

“Summary (based on the fragment you pasted) - Protests occurred in Sydney during the Israeli president’s visit to Australia; a photo caption describes police detaining protesters at a pro‑Palestinian rally outside Sydney Town Hall on Feb”

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These reports prompted campaigners, civil‑rights groups and some politicians to call for independent inquiries and accountability.

Amnesty International explicitly demanded an urgent probe, and other groups described the response as disproportionate.

Government and police leaders defended the tactics as necessary to protect the delegations and keep rival groups apart.

Reports differ on arrest and detention figures and on the scale of injuries.

Many outlets and police statements cite 27 arrests and several charged with assaulting officers, while other reports describe higher numbers detained on nearby streets or give lower arrest counts.

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Some reports also describe police injuries and hospitalisations among protesters.

Commentators have highlighted these discrepancies, noting they reflect differing emphases in on-the-ground reporting and police briefings.

The protests formed part of a broader national reaction to Herzog's visit.

“Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Australia as an expression of sympathy and solidarity with the Jewish community — particularly after the Bondi terror attack — and urged calm after protests in Sydney turned violent”

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Officials said the visit was intended as solidarity for Australia's Jewish community after the Bondi Beach mass shooting, but some activists and signatories criticized it on international-law grounds, citing UN findings and urging the government to reconsider the invitation.

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Supporters of the visit, including many Jewish community leaders and the prime minister, said the trip was to console victims and counter rising antisemitism.