Melbourne, Australia – Three protesters have been evicted from a Melbourne hotel after storming the doors to gain entry to a major meeting of Jewish leaders.
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Police say the three were removed from the Park Hyatt Hotel in east Melbourne as up to 200 protesters tried to breach police lines at a side entrance to the hotel, which is hosting the Australia Israel Leadership Forum.
Hundreds of Jewish delegates are inside where Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Israeli senior Vice Prime Minister Slivan Shalom are due to attend.
The pro-Palestinian protesters have dispersed for now to attend a strategy meeting at nearby Trades Hall.
But dozens of police including members of the Dog Squad and the Mounted Branch remain guarding entrances to the hotel.
Sergeant Steve Bourke said the protesters had breached an earlier agreement with them for a peaceful protest.
“We are fairly disappointed that they have broken that agreement. At the end of the day three people have gained entry, we’re talking a few metres into a foyer, they were apprehended and their details have been obtained and we are following up inquiries in relation to those,” he said.
“A police radio went missing amid the scuffle.”
He said capsicum spray was used to repel several demonstrators who caught police members between them and an entrance. There have been no injuries he said.
Protester Hisham Moustafa said he was angry about the presence of Mr Shalom, whose government he described as “war criminals”.
“They are being entertained at this hotel by our political representative Julia Gillard. We are extremely ashamed and embarrassed and feel frustrated at the gall of Julia Gillard,” he said.
Mr Moustafa said four protesters were hit with capsicum spray at the height of the scuffle, which escalated at 6.40pm (AEDT).
“The police got pretty aggressive and our people retreated. We got close to the glass (doors) and the police just pushed us back,” he said.
Australia Israel Leadership Forum chairman Albert Dadon said the protesters were initially peaceful.
“But our culture in Australia is that we obey the rule of law and if you do something that infringes the law then it’s fair game for the police to arrest you,” he said.
Palestinian protesters “have broken the agreement????na!!I cant believe that! There must be some mistake! I have never heard of a palestinian breaking an agreement. Check and you’ll see there must be some misunderstanding, perhaps the israelies were aggressive or something!!
Maybe we can import some of these Autstralian police to help protect the parking lot and Intel factory in yerushalayim against the chareidi lunatics who also seem to feel they have a right to break the law. The Australian police seem to know how to deal with these lunatics; the Israeli police and Barkat should take a lesson from them
“Mr moustaaf is ashamed of the gall” ha the ultimate chuzpa wht these arabs arabs have is just astonishing! hes “ashamed”!!? what psychos they’re for thinking anyone should go for that cr*p we are lucky there’s onlya sm. percentage of muslims in australlia …
Australia being a democratic & fair nation makes the same mistake such as the USA,Israel, Canada,etc. & allows nazi arabs & other haters of decency & human rights to immigrate & destroy its society from within!!