Pro-Palestine rally LIVE: Demonstrations kick off in Sydney and Melbourne

The warning was displayed on a screen in Hyde Park, in Sydney’s CBD,
reminding demostraters that flying Hezbollah symbols is regarded as a criminal offence.

A man has been pictured smiling while being detained by police while protestors begin their march through Melbourne’s CBD after hearing speeches from Lidia Thorpe and former national secretary of the CFMEU, Christy Cain.

Organisers used megaphones to lead protesters through chants while police kept a close eye on the crowd.

A number of demonstrators were holding posters in support of Palestine and Lebanon during the march, including a number from health care workers.

At least 2,000 people have arrived at Hyde Park just after organisers started the Pro-Palestinian rally at 1pm.

Attendees could be heard chanting ‘Glory, glory to our martyrs, All our children, sons and daughters’ and ‘From the river, to the sea, Palestine will be free’ which has become synonymous with similar rallies around the world.

Some protestors set up a makeshift stall selling Palestinian and Lebanese flags and T-shirts for attendees as they approached the rally.

A stage has also been set up on the back of a ute for speeches.

Ms Allan said Victoria Police had been the ‘tools and the resources’ to deal with the protests which she described as ‘deeply inappropriate’.

‘It’s critically important to re-emphasise that October 7 is not a day to protest, it’s not a day to add to the deep grief and trauma that is being experienced by so many in our community,’ Ms Allan said at a media conference before the protests started.

‘There is a right to peacefully protest but with that right comes a responsibility to do so respectfully and understand what the grief and trauma is being experienced by others in our community.

‘It should be a day of understanding. We need to pause and see that conflict in the Middle East should not bring conflict to the streets of Melbourne or Victoria.’

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe made an appearance as thousands of demonstrators gathered in Melbourne.

Organiser Nasser Mashni addressed demonstrators outside of the State Library.

‘There are a lot of agitators about… Trying to make you say something you might regret that will hurt our movement. Ignore fascists,’ he said.

‘Embrace everything that we are, we are a movement of love. A movement of inclusion. A movement of belonging. If you have any hate here, you don’t belong here.’

A top police officer has warned unruly pro-Palestine demonstrators they risk being arrested for bad behaviour.

NSW police minister Yasmin Catley issued the warning on Sunday ahead of planned protests in Sydney.

‘If everybody is doing the right thing, no problem, no problem whatsoever,’ she said.

‘But if you’re not, you can expect to be arrested. It’s as simple as that. There will be no tolerance for misbehavior. There will be no tolerance for racial slurs, zero tolerance from the New South Wales Police.

‘We do not want the war in the Middle East playing out on our streets in Sydney. That anger has no place here.’