Law enforcement hit protesters and members of the media, including AFP, with pepper spray in rarely-seen violent scuffles in Sydney's central business district. Asked about the scenes, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told local radio he was "devastated" to see the violence. New South Wales police have said they arrested 27 people at the rallies, including 10 for assaulting law enforcement, and have confirmed they deployed pepper spray against the crowd. "His visit will lift the spirits of a pained community," said Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the community's peak body. Israel has "categorically" rejected the inquiry's report, describing it as "distorted and false" and calling for the body's abolition.

Source: Bangkok Post February 10, 2026 03:00 UTC