Police In Australia Stopped And Grabbed Muslim Men Praying After A Protest Over Israel’s President Visiting
Police officers were seen interrupting the men as they kneeled in prayer, grabbing and dragging them along the ground.
Police in Australia were filmed stopping Muslim men from praying in the street and pushing them after a protest against Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s visit to the country.
Herzog is visiting Australia on an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following the shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney's Bondi Beach that killed 15 people.
Authorities in Sydney had declared Herzog's visit a major event and were authorized to use rarely invoked powers during the visit, including the ability to separate and move crowds, restrict their entry to certain areas, direct people to leave and search vehicles, according to Reuters.
On Monday, Feb. 9, as Herzog arrived in Australia, thousands of people gathered near Sydney Town Hall in a peaceful protest, organized by the Palestine Action Group Sydney as part of a nationwide "March Against Herzog."
Videos showed police cracking down on protesters, using pepper spray and tear gas, punching protesters and arresting 27 people, including 10 for assaulting officers.
Other videos on social media showed a group of Muslim men, led by sheikh Wesam Charkawi, praying after the protest ended but were interrupted by police.
Police officers were seen interrupting the men as they kneeled in prayer, grabbing and dragging them along the ground.
The men did not appear to be blocking a road or the march.
Charkawi was seen continuing his prayer, and another protester stood in front of him to block the police as he finished praying.
Charkawi said he and his fellow worshippers were about 15 minutes behind schedule to hold sunset prayer towards the end of the demonstration, according to the Guardian.
He said that many of the men who were praying were injured, adding “[police were] so unhinged, so aggressive and so violent and had zero regard for anyone and anything in their way, even peaceful worshippers who were not in anyone’s way.”
Over 100 Muslim organizations in Australia issued a joint statement calling the police’s actions "completely unacceptable," an "abuse of power" and a "serious failure of judgement, calling for an apology from New South Wales (NSW) police.
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