Pro-Palestine advocates have slammed after the NSW Premier claimed protests should be banned because of their “huge drain on the public purse”. Minns’ comments came after he ordered a review into the taxpayer costs around policing for the protests, which have taken place in Sydney every week last October and . The Premier said the review found policing for the protests has cost “at least $5 million in 2024” and as a result, he has backed calls for police to block the permits needed for .
“Ultimately this is a huge drain on the public purse,” Minns said in a 2GB radio interview on Tuesday. “It’s my view that police should be in a position to deny a request for a march due to stretched police resourcing..
. [They] should be in a position to say, we can’t do it this weekend because you’ve done it for the previous 50 weekends.” “We want police doing other work,” Minns added.
“Ultimately, this is taxpayer funds.” Now, pro-Palestine advocacy groups have come forward to denounce Minns’ comments, saying they are an infringement on the democratic right to protest in Australia. The Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) said in a statement that Minns’ remarks reveal “a troubling disregard for fundamental rights and democracy, which is particularly concerning coming from a democratically elected representative”.
APAN reiterated that protests and rallies are “a cornerstone of democracy” which should not “be contingent on financial conside.