In what organisers hailed as a “historic” and “monumental” display of humanity, 100,000 people marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on August 3, 2025, to protest the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Palestine Action Group’s “March for Humanity” shut down the iconic bridge for hours, drawing a diverse crowd – including high-profile figures like Julian Assange, former NSW Premier Bob Carr, and federal MP Ed Husic – demanding an end to the violence and starvation in Gaza. But while the marchers braved torrential rain to send a “powerful message,” right-wing commentators on X were busy sending their servers into meltdown, clutching pearls and keyboards in equal measure.
The march, authorised by the NSW Supreme Court just 24 hours prior after a legal battle with NSW Police, saw an estimated 100,000 protesters (or up to 300,000, if you ask the organisers) flood the bridge, waving Palestinian flags and chanting for a ceasefire. NSW Police, scrambling to manage the massive turnout, sent geo-targeted texts urging protesters to turn back due to fears of a “crowd crush.” Despite the logistical chaos, the event was peaceful, with no arrests or injuries reported. Organiser Josh Lees called it a “beautiful outpouring of humanity,” while Amal Naser slammed police for wasting resources trying to block the rally instead of planning for it.
Meanwhile, on X, the right-wing commentariat was having none of it. To them, the march wasn’t a call for peace but a full-blown assault on civilisation itself. One prominent poster, frothing at the virtual mouth, declared the bridge’s closure proof that “Hamas supporters” had seized control of Sydney, apparently mistaking a diverse crowd of families, activists, and MPs for a terrorist militia. Another claimed the march was a plot to “subvert Australian values,” as if waving flags and umbrellas in the rain was the first step toward ideological anarchy. The outrage was so intense you’d think the protesters had taken hostages.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott took to X, thundering that judges shouldn’t be deciding when protests are “justified.” Apparently, the NSW Supreme Court’s ruling to allow the march was a “slippery slope” toward unelected judges making “political judgments.” Never mind that Justice Belinda Rigg’s decision was based on balancing free expression with public safety, not picking sides in geopolitics. Abbott’s post sparked a pile-on, with one senator from the United Australia Party politely disagreeing, only to be drowned out by cries that the bridge should never be “a billboard for activism.” Because nothing says “protect public infrastructure” like comparing a peaceful march to climate protesters gluing themselves to roads.
The Coalition wasn’t far behind, with shadow attorney-general Julian Leeser lamenting the “divisive” protest that “disrupted our city.” One Nation’s Pauline Hanson went full apocalyptic, warning of an “influx of Islamic fundamentalism” threatening Australia’s very soul. Apparently, the sight of kids with face paint and families toting umbrellas was a clear sign of the end times. NSW Premier Chris Minns, who’d opposed the march as an “unplanned disruption,” faced his own party’s rebellion, with five Labor MPs defying him to join the protesters. Minns must’ve been thrilled to see his own team chanting “Free Palestine” while he was busy promising Sydney wouldn’t “descend into chaos.”
The X echo chamber didn’t stop at local politics. Some posters spun wild conspiracies, claiming the march was a globalist plot to distract from… something. Others raged that the bridge’s closure was a worse crime than the Gaza crisis itself, because nothing screams “injustice” like a traffic jam during a cost-of-living crisis. One particularly unhinged take insisted the Palestinian flag on the bridge was a victory for Hamas, conveniently ignoring the marchers’ calls for peace and humanitarian aid. Never mind the 133 reported starvation deaths in Gaza the previous week, including 87 children – Sydney’s businesses were the real victims here, according to the keyboard warriors.
To be fair, the police did raise legitimate concerns about safety, with Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna calling the situation “perilous” and citing the risk of a crowd crush. The bridge’s closure from 11:30 a.m. to past 5 p.m. snarled traffic, with Transport for NSW warning of delays on arterial roads and a strained public transport system. But the Palestine Action Group’s experienced marshals and medics kept things orderly, proving the march was less “chaos” and more a logistical triumph. Still, try telling that to the X users who saw the bridge’s temporary shutdown as a personal attack on their daily commute.
As the rain-soaked marchers dispersed, the right-wing X-sphere kept raging, undeterred by facts or nuance. To them, the Sydney Harbour Bridge wasn’t just a landmark – it was a sacred symbol of order, now defiled by a “divisive” call for humanity. Never mind that the bridge has been closed before for World Pride or movie shoots. Apparently, those were fine, but a protest for starving children in Gaza? That’s where they draw the line.
Tune in next week, when X’s finest will probably lose it over a koala holding a Palestinian flag at Taronga Zoo. Because in 2025, nothing gets the right-wing blood boiling like a bridge, a cause, and a crowd that dares to care.
Also by Michael Taylor:
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What an inspiring display of democratic participation. Over 100,000 brave individuals marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on August 3, 2025, peacefully demanding an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and justice for starving children.
They embodied Australia’s strong tradition of protest rights and civic engagement. Despite heavy rain and logistical limitations, the event proceeded without arrests or serious incidents thanks to the cooperation of organisers, police, and participants.
It’s heartening to see thousands—including NSW Labor MPs—defy political pressure to uphold solidarity and speak truth to power.
This protest underscores the critical need for bold political leadership and social justice values.
Thank you Michael for your exposure of the poor Right Wing agitators losing their minds over the good people in Australia standing up for the babies who were bombed, the children slaughtered the country that has been decimated and the peoples of Gaza starving to death due to a Fascist Zionist Govt in Israel performing Genocide on a tiny poor country, Gaza.
If I could have been there in Sydney this old lady would have been.
Peaceful protest is a vital right in a healthy democracy.
My deep disappointment in Albanese and many in his Govt is palpable. Silly me. I expected better from the Party who was founded on caring for the Worker and those in need.
(Beautiful words Denis Hay!)
Sky radio last week were discussing the protest and general “left wing mayhem” and chose the phrase “descent into a lawless state”. FFS.??
The Walk for Reconciliation across Sydney Harbour Bridge took place with more than 250,000 people walking across the Bridge on 28 May 2000. There didn’t seem to be any police concerns about congestion and safety back then. Why now ?
What the right-wing nut jobs seem to be confused about [or want to confuse others about] is that this was not a demonstration in favour of Hamas but support for the Palestinian people and a call to stop the killing and wanton destruction in Gaza and an immediate the release of hostages.
According to press reports – which the Israelis seem to want to repress – the average Palestinian has had enough with Hamas and want them gone and just want a stop to the indiscriminate bombing of civilians and the killing of the unarmed, non-combatant Palestinian population.
The level of fake news is becoming a real worry here and around the world – is this your legacy, Rupert ?
I saw aerial footage of the march and on my estimation would accept the top figure of 300 000 (or more). It looked amazing. I love the idea of the RWNJ’s frothing at the keyboards with their stupid illogicalities. Hanson and Abbott demonstrating their complete unfitness for any claims to be taken seriously. Bravo to all of those who took part and for representing those like me who were there in spirit from faraway places.
A lot of the posts Carol found on X were too vile to copy to this site. Many of those posts contained threats, with some bordering on dangerous. Dummy spits I can deal with – even delusion – but I draw the line at threats of harm.
So, if I understand Tony Abbott’s logic (forgive the oxymoron there), an “unelected” judge shouldn’t have had the power to allow the “Ditch the Witch” protest which he happily spoke at, but it should have been the elected government of Julia Gillard having the power to ban it if they felt it wasn’t in the public interest…
“X”?
Does he mean the blogite. I get more of my news off social media in a moment than I would off MSM (ABC, Murdoch press etc). So, I guess Michael, you confused X with operations like the Australian, ABC etc?
Hi, Paul.
All of these were found on Twitter.
A magnificent Australian outpouring of Grief and Solidarity with the deep suffering of Palestinians and a total rejection of the heinous slaughter. To properly assess the human numbers: 3500 meters of Road x 40 meter width, if there was one person every Square Meter it would be 140,000 people. Well it was a lot more densely packed than that, more like 2 people per square Meter. So the Figure of 280,000 people marching is far more accurate. Have a look at the overhead drone video.Also, there were NO Incidents and the Crowd was funneled into a stop point, that is the only reason there was a potential hazard, which never eventuated as the crowd was so calm and organised. It is clear the Authorities were NOT going to let the People march towards the Consulate.
In recent days Hamas have stated that they will only disarm and stand down their fighting forces when a Palestinian state [recognised by the UN] is declared.
To me this seems like an opportunity to bring about a ceasefire, put an international peacekeeping force into Gaza under UN auspices and move ahead with reconstruction, democratic elections and a two state resolution – but will Israel and the US agree ?
There could be a Nobel in that, Terry.
For a law graduate, Tone the Botty is a bloody idiot! He seems confused with the American system. And as usual, the Poo Machine is spreading bovine excrement! And now you see why I call him Tone the Botty abbott-bott-bottom-botty.
I obey Yahweh’s commandments not to follow a multitude. In such large protests you unwittingly get caught up in numerous agendas you do not support.
I am heart broken by the suffering in Gaza. However Israel cannot be held up as the villain.
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt did not open their borders to the Gazans. Why not? Why didn’t Muslim neighbours help the Gazans? Fair question?
To Bev Poulos 5 August 2025 at 12:57 pm… the Israeli Government will not allow any Islamic States in to assist Gaza, you should know that by now. Lebanon is completely overwhelmed and destroyed, it is a collapsed State full of Syrian Refugees and no infrastructure, extreme poverty and Violence. Syria as you know has been destroyed by War. I could go on and if you follow Yahweh’s commandments you should know that Israel does not and never has, they reject Yahweh
Bev, about a third of the Lebanese population are Christian.
A National Pact in 1943 stipulated that the president, prime minister and speaker be Maronite Catholic, Sunni Muslim and Shia Muslim respectively.
My mother’s family were Maronite Catholics.
“Divisive” now apparently means saying or doing anything with which a RRWNJ disagrees …
The squawkers will squawk as usual. It appears these days that they are mostly FRWNJs, who reveal themselves as misinformed or conveniently omit fact and replace it with bile and threats, actual or implied. And they find X is the most convenient place where they can obtain courage and comfort from like pile-ons. A dismal lot really – an unrepresentative swill of inhumanity and ignorance.