Add Category
The Age saw a man in a grey hoodie throw the keffiyeh-wearing man to the ground as the group blocked him from walking down Inkerman Road towards the synagogue.
Police soon intervened, briefly putting the man in handcuffs before he was escorted away from the pro-Israel crowd.
A man is detained by police near the intersection of Orrong and Inkerman roads on Monday night.Credit: Luis Ascui
About 7.30pm, the most serious confrontation of the night occurred a few hundred metres east the synagogue as the much larger pro-Israel crowd got wind that a small group of Palestinian activists had gathered nearby.
Police scrambled to separate the two groups at the intersection of Testar Grove and Inkerman Road. Soon, about 10 pro-Palestine supporters were surrounded by hundreds of pro-Israel supporters.
The angry pro-Israel crowd chanted “bring them home” and “get a job”. Many hurled abuse, some calling the protesters “terrorists” and “cowards” for wearing masks. The pro-Palestine group mainly chanted “free, free Palestine” while some members blew bubbles.
Just before 8pm, the pro-Israel crowd let out an enormous cheer as police moved the smaller pro-Palestine group south down Testar Grove – away from the increasingly heated clash that had led to Inkerman Road being blocked in both directions.
A man draped in an Israeli flag on Inkerman Road on Monday night.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Soon after, the pro-Israel group began to disperse and many walked back towards the Caulfield Hebrew Congregation.
Israeli music blared until about 9pm as a large Jewish contingent continued to wave flags as cars passed by the party-like scene.
Before it was called off, Free Palestine Coalition Naarm described its planned action outside the synagogue as “counter protesting genocidaires”.
“This is a peaceful protest called by Jewish anti-Zionists, many of whom grew up going to synagogues, and do not acquiesce to our religion being weaponised as a tool of genocide,” the group’s Instagram post said.
Former Israeli justice minister Ayelet Shaked was slated to attend the AIJAC event, but the Australian government denied her a visa last week on character grounds. Shaked made headlines last year calling for all Gazans to be deported and the city of Khan Younis to be turned into a soccer field.
Despite the Palestinian demonstration being called off, local man Julian Millman said he still rallied with a large pro-Israel crowd on Inkerman Road because he wanted to support the local Jewish community.
“I don’t believe they’re here to try and protest,” Millman said of the few Palestinian activists who turned up on Monday. “I think they’re here to cause trouble.”
AIJAC executive director Joel Burnie said it was “deeply upsetting and sad” that the Jewish community still had concerns about “safety and protection in our own community”.
The tiny group of pro-Palestinian protesters on Inkerman Road on Monday night.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
“Real action is necessary,” he said. “Governments need less words and more action.”
Victoria Police have been contacted for comment.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.