When
Where
Why
Come together after a fortnight of union action for Palestine. Rally to tell Chris Minns, Albanese, and all our political leaders:
Free Gaza, Free Palestine!
- stop the bombing
- lift the siege on Gaza
- end Israeli Apartheid
End Australia鈥檚 complicity:
- Drop the charges on 23 Zim protestors
- Scrap the anti-protest laws
- No more weapons to Israel! Zim shipping out of Port Botany!
Unionists have been mobilising in support of Palestine, to end the brutality Israel has unleashed on Gaza. A fortnight of union action has seen teachers wearing the keffiyeh, and taking photos at school. Healthcare workers have held vigils outside hospitals. The CFMEU construction division has issued a national statement calling 鈥渇or an immediate end to all hostilities鈥 and 鈥渁n immediate end to the blockade on Gaza.鈥
And the MUA Sydney branch backed a 500-strong community 鈥淏lock the Boat鈥 blockade at Port Botany, targeting the Israeli shipping line ZIM, as part of the call for boycotts and sanctions against Israel to end aparthied. 23 people were arrested and charged on Tuesday night.
NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns defended the police violence against protesters at Port Botany, stating 鈥淲e cannot have a situation where our ports are blocked for commerce because one group or another has a political disagreement with another country. That would be hugely damaging to our economy.鈥 He is putting profits ahead of more than 14,000 lives, and has no regard for the economy of Gaza which has been decimated.
Harsh new anti-protest laws which make it illegal to 鈥渂lock entry to any part of a major facility鈥 has led to seven protesters being charged under sc214, which carries a maximum sentence to of two years in gaol, or $220,000 in fines.
Federal Home Affairs Minister, Clare O鈥橬eil, called the protesters 鈥渄espicable鈥 and accused them of acting violently towards police. This is an appalling attack against people peacefully trying to stop genocide. The Labor government has made no such condemnation of Israel鈥檚 violence. Australia is complicit in Israeli brutality. Albanese 鈥渟tands with Israel鈥 and continues to use the language of 鈥渟elf-defence鈥 to justify Israeli war crimes. The Australian government sends weapons and military support to Israel. And Australia shamefully abstained from a cease-fire vote at the UN.
Trade unionists stand for justice, and we will continue to organise in our workplace, and with the community for justice for Palestine. We defend the Zim-23 and call for all charged to be dropped.