By Jena Carr
Five people have been arrested in Geelong after protesters swarmed the Defence Minister Richard Marles’ office, calling for Australia’s withdrawal of support for Israel.
Close to 50 anti-Zionist activists took to the Broughman Street office on Wednesday, November 1, demanding a withdrawal of support for Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestine.
A Coburg man, 24, Thornbury man, 25, Brunswick woman, 21, and two Northern Territory women, aged 31 and 37, were arrested at the scene.
Activist Nevo Zisin, who is Jewish, said it was a peaceful protest that called for an “end to arming the Israeli genocide”, with activists securing themselves to the office by their necks with bicycle locks.
“We condemn the diplomatic, political, financial support of this genocide, and as Jewish people, we refuse the conflation (meaning the merging) between Judaism and Zionism,” they said.
“It goes against our Jewish values to stand idly by as Palestinians are murdered in their houses, in their homes, and their families and entire bloodlines are wiped out.
“Over 800 families have been completely wiped off the registry…and over 8000 Palestinians have already lost their lives.”
Zisin said the goal of the protest was to call upon Mr Marles to condemn Israel’s actions on Gaza and the West Bank as there was currently a “complete blackout in Palestine”.
“We refuse to allow our grief and our trauma as Jewish people to be manipulated and to be used as justification for ongoing genocide,” they said.
“We will continue to resist this ongoing genocide until it ends and, not just ending with a ceasefire, but also with the end of the ongoing occupation that pushes Palestinians out of their homes.
“As a Jewish person, I say I will not be silenced. I will not be bullied. I will not be harassed into complicity. I will stand against injustice as part of my Jewish value.”
Mr Marles, who is currently overseas and wasn’t at his office at the time, said in a statement that the “safety and wellbeing” of his staff was his “first concern” and that the “abuse and destruction of property or goods” was not acceptable.
“Peaceful protest is a fundamental right in Australia’s democracy. It is important that as this occurs, it is done so safely and appropriately,” he said.
The five activists arrested by police have since been released pending summons concerning trespassing, and no one was injured during the protest.
