Overview
- Victoria Police received court-approved counterterrorism powers to search, demand identification and cordon areas for Herzog’s Melbourne events, with no specific threat identified.
- Thousands were expected at a Flinders Street Station rally following Canberra demonstrations and a violent Sydney confrontation that resulted in 27 arrests and the use of pepper spray.
- Herzog’s planned stop at the firebombed Adass Israel Synagogue was canceled on safety grounds, and “Death to Herzog” graffiti at Melbourne University was swiftly removed and referred to police.
- The Israeli president called antisemitism in Australia “frightening” and urged protesters to focus on Iran, while rejecting UN inquiry allegations of genocide incitement that Israel has denounced.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese invited Herzog after the Dec. 14 Bondi Beach mass shooting that killed 15, which authorities say was inspired by Islamic State ideology, prompting heightened security measures.