In Melbourne, Australia, pro-Palestinian demonstrators breached security measures at Parliament House to display banners from the roof. The banners featured messages like “war crimes” and “genocide,” along with the rallying cry “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The incident occurred on Parliament’s final sitting day before a five-week break, amid heightened tensions over the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The four protesters who displayed the banners were subsequently arrested by authorities. Meanwhile, inside Parliament House, Sen. Fatima Payman, originally from Afghanistan and the only federal lawmaker in Australia to wear a hijab during sessions, announced her resignation from the ruling Labor Party due to disagreements over the government’s stance on the Gaza conflict. Payman criticized the government’s indifference to what she described as a significant injustice.
Her decision to support a motion last week recognizing the state of Palestine led to her departure from the party. Australia’s official policy supports a two-state solution for Israel and a future Palestinian state existing peacefully within recognized borders, although the country does not currently recognize a Palestinian state.
As an independent senator, Payman will continue to serve in the Senate. She is the first government member to resign since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration took office in 2022. Police indicated that the protesters involved in the security breach would face trespassing charges and had been banned from Parliament House for two years.
The incident prompted increased security measures in Parliament House, leading to restricted access for members of the public. The House Speaker expressed deep concern over the protests and ordered security enhancements. While acknowledging the importance of peaceful protest, Albanese condemned the actions of the demonstrators for hindering rather than advancing their cause.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton raised concerns about the entry of protesters into the building and denounced their message as anti-Semitic. He emphasized the potential negative impact of such actions being seen globally and called for a serious understanding of the situation.
