Pro-Palestinian protesters climb the roof of Australia’s Parliament | Israel-Palestine conflict news

The four protesters held up several signs that read: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “There is no peace in stolen lands.”

Pro-Palestinian protesters climbed to the roof of the Australian Parliament in Canberra and unfurled several posters, one of which read: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

The demonstration in the national parliament on Thursday followed recent divisions within Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government, which suspended a Muslim senator who crossed the room to vote in favor of Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state.

Four people from the Renegade Activists group, dressed in dark clothing, remained on the roof of the building for about an hour, unfurling several large black and white banners, including one that read: “There is no peace on stolen land.”

One of the protesters gave a speech using a megaphone accusing the Israeli government of “war crimes” in Gaza with the support of the United States, and the Australian government of being complicit in the alleged abuses.

“We declare to the Australian government that we will continue to expose and resist the US imperial, hegemonic and capitalist interests to which you are dedicated,” shouted the protester.

“Australia continues to permit and commit war crimes as lackeys of our ‘great and powerful’ friends.”

Some police and security guards advised people not to walk directly under the protest at the building’s main entrance, while more people were seen on the roof trying to remove the group.

Protesters packed up their banners before being led away by waiting police at around 11:30 am local time (01:30 GMT).

“This is a serious breach of Parliament’s security,” opposition Home Affairs spokesman James Paterson said in a post on social media platform X.

“The building was modified at great expense to prevent incursions like this. An investigation is necessary.”

The latest war in Gaza began when Palestinian Hamas fighters invaded southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 others hostage. Israel’s war in the besieged Palestinian territory has killed nearly 38,000 people, forcibly displaced most of the population several times and devastated the densely populated enclave.

South Africa has petitioned the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, while a United Nations inquiry last month concluded that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in the early stages of war in Gaza.

The inquiry also stated that Israel’s actions constituted crimes against humanity due to the immense civilian losses.

Since the start of the war, Australia has been the scene of several pro-Palestinian protests, including weekly demonstrations in major cities and a months-long occupation of university campuses.

The Labor Party indefinitely suspended Senator Fatima Payman on Monday after she voted in favor of a parliamentary motion supporting the creation of a Palestinian state. Payman said she was “exiled” after supporting the motion – tabled by the Green party – in defiance of government policy.

Australia does not currently recognize Palestinian statehood, although Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in May that it might do so before a formal peace process between Israel and Palestinian authorities is concluded.