Hundreds of NSW school students skipped class to show support for Palestinian children caught up in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Rallying at Sydney's Town Hall on Friday afternoon, Year 12 student and rally organiser Eva said attendees had a moral duty to stand up for the children of Gaza and call for an end to Israel's war on the Islamic militant group.
"We're not going to stand for this," she told the crowd to loud cheers as speakers called for an end to the bombing in Gaza and children as young as five watched on.
"High school students in Gaza right now can't go to school, can't get an education.
"As students, we have a moral duty to stand up for Palestine."
Fellow organiser and year 12 student Noura hit back at NSW Premier Chris Minns, who discouraged students from attending the event and advised them to focus on their education.
"I'd ask him to take his own damn advice," she told the crowd.
"Get educated, Chris Minns.
"We are standing for the children of Gaza who are being slaughtered in their thousands, where schools have been shut down."
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi praised the crowd for their courage in "dismantling the power structures".
"You want a revolution on your terms and I am with you all the way," she said.
A 49-year-old man carrying an Israeli flag was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace after he approached a large group at the event.
Another man carrying a sign bearing the words 'free the hostages' was observed approaching some of the younger female attendees saying they "should be ashamed".
Police said they are reviewing footage of the incident.
In a separate incident, a suspicious package sent to the Sydney Jewish Museum sparked a police investigation after emergency services dressed in hazmat suits were called to the inner city building about 1.15pm. There were no injuries.
Year 12 student, rally speaker and granddaughter of Nakba survivors Jaseena said she joined the protest "to use my voice for those children in Gaza who are not able to pursue their education, and whose basic human rights have been stolen from them".
Chants of "free Palestine" rung outside the US consulate in Melbourne, a day after more than 1000 Victorian school students blocked city streets and staged a sit-in at a major shopping centre in support of Palestine.
About 75 protesters including high school and university students said the US had "blood on its hands" over its support for Israel and called for the US-Australia alliance to be severed.
The group took to the streets, marching along St Kilda Road blocking traffic.
In Adelaide, pupils also held a demonstration at Parliament House on Thursday.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin described the protests as "the latest stunt by hardened anti-Israel activists to advance their propaganda campaign".
Mr Ryvchin said he was concerned for the welfare of Jewish students and teachers when students "filled with racist slogans and violent chants" returned to class.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare on Friday said he had spoken to state leaders who all agreed students should be in class during school hours.
"If you want to change the world, then go to school," he told Seven's Sunrise program.
"If you want to protest, do that on the weekend, but school's on - we expect students to be at school today."
The student protests follow a series of pro-Palestine and pro-Israel rallies across the nation since October 7, when Hamas killed more than 1200 Israelis and took about 240 people hostage in attacks from Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Retaliatory strikes by Israel have resulted in the deaths of around 14,000 people, according to Palestinian officials.
At least 1.6 million Palestinians have been displaced in the conflict.
Organisers of Friday's school protest are calling on Israel to end the occupation of all Palestinian territories, a long-standing cause of tension prior to the October 7 attack.
Meanwhile, a group of healthcare workers planned to gather at Westmead Hospital in Sydney's west on Friday night in solidarity with Gazan healthcare workers who have been killed or injured in Israel's recent offensive.
Australian Associated Press
