Melbourne resident Kathryn Renowden said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton were “playing politics with peoples’ lives” after the bipartisan condemnation of protests held this weekend.

“I feel like they’re more concerned about flags than the massacre of women, children and men. Focusing on that is disingenuous and dishonest.”

She believes there will be backlash against the major political parties, and Albanese, for his stance on the war over the past year.

“I do think there will be backlash. He’s alienated so many people and he doesn’t represent the huge portion of the population. I think this will be his undoing.”

Another protester, Erin Tsubono says she attended the protest because she cared about justice and was against colonisation.

“It’s simple. I’m a mother. I want my daughter to know I’m here for anything against humanity, for the good cause,” Tsubono says, standing in a gridlocked Swanston Street.

Some at the rally did not want to be publicly identified, either fearing backlash from employers or from people online.

Earlier, Jewish Council of Australia member Ohad Kozminsky told the crowd there was “no justification” for “criminal human rights breaches” of Palestinians.

He said Israel’s actions had been “shielded shamefully by weaponised charges of antisemitism” and called for a return to “core Jewish principles” of love and equality.

“We’re currently in the Jewish new year period. We’re meant to be repenting,” he said.

Kozminsky called for state and federal governments take action for “justice and dignity”.

“I have been attending these rallies for a year now. Together, we have called for a ceasefire, an end to occupation, and end to ethnic cleansing, an end to genocide, and we have called for a free Palestine.

He said it was a simple call for human rights to be upheld without exception.

“Human rights are only realised if they are applied ... without exception.”