SYDNEY: Sydney police used pepper spray on protesters on Monday as a rally against a visit to Australia by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog turned violent.
The head of state’s tightly secured, four-day visit was aimed at consoling Australia’s Jewish community in the wake of the December shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah festival.
But he was met with protests in Australia’s two largest cities on Monday evening, with a Sydney rally turning violent as police hit protesters and members of the media, including AFP, with pepper spray.
Crowds also gathered in the center of Melbourne demanding an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
An AFP journalist said they saw at least 15 protesters being arrested as members of the rally scuffled with the police.
