Chris Minns throws support behind police amid claims of heavy-handed response to pro-Palestine rally at Sydney port

NSW Premier Chris Minns has shut down claims NSW Police officers were heavy-handed in their response to a pro-Palestine protest, declaring their actions were “completely appropriate”.

Palestine Justice Movement Sydney staged a demonstration against Israeli cargo shipping company ZIM at Sydney’s Port Botany on Tuesday night where they continued calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.

NSW Police revealed the protest, which was attended by about 400 protesters, was unauthorised and 23 people were subsequently arrested and charged after not complying with a group move on direction and continuing to block vehicle movement on Foreshore Road.

Mr Minns backed the state’s police force after the officers received criticism for their handling of the situation, praising them for their professionalism in managing dozens of protests over the past two months.

“You can’t have a situation where NSW ports are being blocked. This would have huge economic and reputational damage for our state, for our country,” he told First Edition host Peter Stefanovic on Sky News Australia on Wednesday.

“We can’t have this situation every single week where Sydney grinds to a standstill and NSW Police have facilitated and been involved in 73 protests in the last six weeks, doing it in full consultation with protesters and the different groups in Sydney.

“They have done a good job and they should be commended for their work in the last 24 hours.”

Vision played on Nine News showed police forcibly removing protesters from roads while one activist was seen pinned to the ground, leading to complaints from protesters over the actions of officers.

The Premier maintained his confidence they were within their rights to arrest people how they did after they allegedly broke the law.

“I think that it was completely appropriate in the circumstances. Move on orders were given to the protest organisers to clear roadway, to allow commerce to take place,” he said.

“What option were they left in the end? I just want people to understand in terms of this accusation of heavy-handedness, NSW Police have been working extremely closely with protest organisers – particularly from those organising Palestinian protests in NSW – for six weeks.

“There’s been 73 protests, most of whom have gone off without incident, without arrests, without incitement to violence, without hate speech in the streets. So generally speaking in the last two months in a very complex and highly-charged set of circumstances, police have been managing this situation extremely well.”

Mr Minns said activists were well within their rights to voice their opinions through protest action but there were rules that must be followed.

“People have a right to lawful protest and assembly in NSW. I’m a politician, I’m the leader of this state. Everyone has every right to protest out the front of my office or out the front of parliamentary offices to have that say and we will protect that right. We will ensure democratic protests and free assembly is allowed,” he said.

“(But) there are rules, and those rules are hate speech or blocking the roads, or in a situation where there’s an incitement to violence or racial vilification.”

The Minns government has moved to tighten laws against hate speech, threats and incitement to violence in the state with proposed changes to 93Z of the Crimes Act to give NSW Police power to prosecute people for committing these offences, without the approval of the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Police have to receive approval from the DPP before laying any charges as the law stands, with the last successful prosecution occurring under the act in 2018.