Wild footage shows the moment Free Palestine protesters clashed with police and attempted to hijack a dinner attended by Anthony Albanese.
The Prime Minister was attending a $5000-a-head Labor fundraising dinner at Rydges Palmerston, about 20km from Darwin, Northern Territory on Friday night, when a group of demonstrators tried to barge their way into a private function room.
In the footage shared on social media, protesters can be heard shouting “ceasefire” while holding images of Palestinian flags as they are held off by plain clothes Australian Federal Police officers and hotel staff.
A woman carrying two young children in her arms is also seen shouting at security, while another screamed “shame on you, shame on you”.
As the clash continued, a protester was seen being shoved into a lift before another was pulled off a window and ushered out of the area.
A 51-year-old man was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer,Northern Territory Newsreported.
Mitchell Chute, from the Free Palestine group, told the publication they felt a “moral obligation” to confront the prime minister, claiming the government “has blood on its hands”.
“There is a genocide happening in Palestine and through diplomatic and military ties Australia is supporting it,” Mr Chute said.
“At the same time as the Prime Minister and Territory politicians attended this secret, exclusive $5000 a head dinner, Palestinian children, women, and men are being killed.”
Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles also attended the dinner, after earlier meeting with the prime minister to discuss “critical minerals, the space industry and defence”.
A large pro-Palestinian rally was also held in Sydney on Saturday, before tens of thousands of protesters gathered in Melbourne calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and chanting ‘Shame Labor! Shame!” on Sunday.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters rallied in Washington, London, Paris and Berlin on Saturday calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after Iranians took to the streets against the United States and Israel.
Demonstrators smeared red paint on the White House fence in the US, and protesters launched fireworks towards police in London.