Australia police pepper-spray 13 y/o during Lebanon-Palestine protest

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Websites
30 Sep 2024 13:03
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Australian police forces pepper-spray a 13-year-old during a Palestine-Lebanon protest after the child refused to let a Hezbollah flag go as they tried to pull it off.

Protesters gather to mourn the martyrdom of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah at a rally in Sydney on Sunday. (AFP/Getty Images)

New South Wales police seemingly pepper-sprayed a 13-year-old child and two others as officers attempted to pull away and remove a Hezbollah flag off a protester during a Palestine-Lebanon demonstration in Sydney, The Guardian reported, citing legal observers.

According to legal observers on the scene, police officers allegedly "indiscriminately" used pepper spray against demonstrators after one protester refused to give up the flag.

The Australian federal police then noted that displaying a Hezbollah flag does not lay a basis for arrest, saying, "The mere public display of a prohibited symbol on its own does not meet the threshold of a commonwealth offense."

A police spokesperson stated that while officers can instruct individuals to remove prohibited symbols from public display, they do not have the authority to remove the symbols themselves. However, individuals may face charges for not complying with the police's directive.

A volunteer medic who assisted the 13-year-old after the incident stated, “The child is okay but was definitely shaken by police violence,” further discouraging the use of pepper spray on vast crowds, which could easily cause harm to attendees and bystanders.

Adam al-Hayek from Legal Observers NSW also condemned the use of pepper spray, noting that not only is it harmful to children and protesters but also lacked lawful jurisdiction, adding that "this pattern of unnecessary and unwarranted weapon use is reckless and a risk to public safety. Dangerous weapons have no place at protests."

Hundreds of people rallied in Sydney on Sunday following the martyrdom of Hezbollah's Secretary-General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. Although Hezbollah is designated as a "terrorist group" in Australia, protesters were seen raising the martyred leader's picture and waving Hezbollah's flag, saying it represented a symbol of the liberation of South Lebanon.

The Israeli regime launched a treacherous air raid on the Southern Suburb of Beirut leveling several buildings, in a strike that dozens fell victim to, on Friday. Hezbollah announced the martyrdom of Sayyed Nasrallah on Saturday afternoon, pledging to remain steadfast on the path drawn out by the leader throughout the several decades that he served as Secretary-General to the Resistance party.