Assange Joins Pro-Palestinian Protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Khabor Wala Desk

Published: 3rd August 2025, 5:26 PM

Assange Joins Pro-Palestinian Protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Photo: Collected

Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, marched across the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday, resulting in the temporary closure of the world-renowned structure.

Figures in Attendance

Name	Role/Position	Remarks
Julian Assange	Founder of WikiLeaks	Marched with family; made no public statement
Bob Carr	Former Foreign Minister & NSW Premier	Marched alongside Assange
Mehreen Faruqi	NSW Senator (Greens Party)	Called for “harshest sanctions on Israel”
Ed Husic	Labor MP, Federal Backbencher	Urged ALP to recognise Palestinian state

Assange, who returned to Australia in 2024 following his release from a high-security British prison, was surrounded by family and walked beside former Foreign Minister Bob Carr, a long-standing figure in Australian politics.

Protest Details

Location: Sydney Harbour Bridge (over 1 km long, opened 1932)
Weather Conditions: Heavy wind and rain
Chants Heard: “Ceasefire now”, “Free Palestine”
Security Measures: Hundreds of extra police officers deployed across Sydney
Special Visuals: Banners listing names of thousands of Palestinian children killed in the conflict

Political Reactions and Statements

Mehreen Faruqi (NSW Greens Senator)

Declared the march would “make history”
Accused Israeli forces of “massacring” civilians in Gaza
Called out NSW Premier Chris Minns for discouraging the protest

Ed Husic (Labor MP)

Participated in the march
Pressured the Albanese government to move towards official recognition of Palestin

Australia’s Diplomatic Position

Although Australia has called for an end to the war in Gaza, it has not yet officially recognised a Palestinian state. However, in a joint statement released with more than a dozen other nations on Tuesday, Australia expressed:

“Willingness or the positive consideration… to recognise the state of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-State solution.”

In contrast, nations such as France, Britain, and Canada have recently signalled their own diplomatic readiness to acknowledge Palestinian statehood

Ongoing Conflict: Casualty and Hostage Statistics

Casualty/Hostage Detail	Number
Palestinians killed (Gaza Health Ministry)	Over 60,000
Israelis killed (since Oct 2023)	1,219 (mostly civilians)
Hostages taken by Hamas	251
Hostages still held	49, including 27 deceased

The devastating toll of the Gaza conflict, which escalated dramatically following the October 2023 Hamas attack, remains at the forefront of international concern.

Symbolism of the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Opened in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge—with its twin parabolic arcs—has become a global symbol of Australia. Its closure for a protest of this scale underscores the growing political urgency and public sentiment surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict within the nation.