Wild scenes as Jewish man displaying Australian flag is arrested for ‘breaching the peace’ at a pro-Palestine protest
Astonishing footage of a Orthodox Jewish man holding an Australian flag being arrested after he allegedly confronted pro-Palestinian protesters has sparked outrage.
Osher Feldman was arrested for breaching the peace in Hyde Park in Sydney’s CBD on Sunday, where 10,000 pro-Palestine supporters attended a rally.
He was filmed being escorted from the scene by police officers shortly after the protest wrapped up on the eve of the one year anniversary of the start of the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel.
Mr Feldman became visibly upset when his kippah fell off his head as he was led away to a police van surrounded by half a dozen officers, repeatedly saying ‘Where’s my cap, I need it on my head.’
He was also heard telling police to ‘stop touching me’.
Mr Feldman later took to X to confirm he was the man in the footage obtained by Sky News as he slammed the actions of police.
‘This is, unfortunately, me. My ‘crime’ was waving an Australian flag in Australia’ he wrote.
‘The police ‘allowed’ me to enter but insisted on escorting me ‘for my safety’. I didn’t get into any arguments or confrontations with anyone.
The arrest of Osher Feldman (pictured centre), who was carrying an Australian flag at a pro-Palestinian protest on Sunday has outraged the Jewish community
A pro-Palestine protester waves the Palestinian and Lebanese flags at Sunday’s rally
‘Then, out of nowhere, they ‘detained’ me and dragged me out of the park like an animal. They didn’t even ask me to leave.’
He accused of police of using ‘ridiculously excessive force’, dragging him ‘like an animal’.
‘They also refused to put my kippah back on when their physical abuse caused it to fall off,’ he added.
‘I am shaken, but will not be intimidated. I’m a proud Australian Jew.’
NSW Police didn’t specifically respond to the claims made by Mr Feldman when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.
‘A man was arrested in Hyde Park by NSW Police for a breach of the peace,’ a spokesperson said.
‘He was released from custody without charge once outside the park precinct.’
Mr Feldman said he was ‘shocked, shaken and appalled’.
‘I also feel physically unwell from getting shoved in a boiling hot van to the station for absolutely no reason.’
The incident also outraged the Australian Jewish Association (AJA).
‘The man in the video … is an active member of the Orthodox Jewish community in Sydney,’ AJA president Dr David Adler told Daily Mail Australia.
Mr Feldman (pictured) was arrested for breaching the peace in Hyde Park in Sydney ‘s CBD on Sunday, where 10,000 pro-Palestine supporters attended a rally
Mr Feldman wrote about his experience on a post on social media site X (pictured)
‘It appears his only ‘crime’ was waving an Australian flag near the Hamas and Hezbollah supporters in the Sydney CBD.’
Dr Adler said Mr Feldman did not get into any arguments with anyone.
‘NSW Police decided rather than protect him that he be ‘detained’ and removed for his own safety.
‘Again we see police not dealing with the actual threat from potentially violent protestors, but removing a peaceful Jewish man.
‘We have seen this before when a different Jewish man was removed from the Sydney Town Hall precinct on October 9 last year.’
The AJA president such arrests ‘effectively handed control of the Sydney streets to an extremist mob and has, not for the first time, made parts of Sydney a ‘no go zone for law abiding citizens’.
Dr Adler added that there are ‘increasing concerns within the Jewish community about the failure of police to protect the usual expected rights of a healthy liberal democracy, but rather allow aggressive disruptors to rule the streets’.
The NSW Police confirmed that a man, 28, was detained on Elizabeth Street for an alleged breach of the peace.
‘The man was taken to Day Street Police Station where he was spoken to and released.’
A second man was arrested for allegedly holding a sign with the Nazi swastika (pictured) replacing the Star of David on Israel’s flag
Another man was arrested for allegedly holding a sign with the Nazi swastika replacing the Star of David on Israel’s flag.
The NSW Police said that at ‘about 1.20pm, a 56-year-old man was arrested for allegedly displaying a swastika symbol.
‘He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station where he was charged with knowingly display by public act Nazi symbol without reasonable excuse.’
Despite the arrests, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said overall the police were pleased with behaviour from the estimated crowd of 10,000.
‘The NSW Police worked closely with our partner agencies and protest organisers to execute a significant and robust police operation across the Sydney CBD, which evidently had a successful outcome,’ he said.
