Criticism has emerged over plans for pro-Palestine vigils scheduled to take place on October 7, 2024, marking three years since Hamas attacked Israel. Organized by two separate groups in New South Wales—Jews Against The Occupation '48 at Sydney Town Hall and Wollongong Friends of Palestine at Crown Street Mall—the events have drawn condemnation from Jewish leaders and politicians. Alex Ryvchin of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry accused organizers of deliberately creating division, while NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called the choice of date "deliberate" and "cruel," urging Premier Chris Minns to intervene.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
NSW Premier Chris Minns and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane criticized pro-Palestinian groups for planning vigils on the third anniversary of Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, where more than 1,200 people were killed. Organizers of these events in Sydney and Wollongong argue that their vigils also commemorate Israel’s retaliatory air strikes that began shortly after the attack. Jewish organizations across Australia will hold commemorations on the same date to honor those who died. The NSW Police have promised to ensure public safety during these events. Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, denounced the choice of date as deliberately divisive and urged protesters to pick another day for their vigils.
Written for “Palestinian Groups Vigils Controversy” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it +0.45, but 2 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 59135: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-06
Pro-Palestine events due to take place in New South Wales on the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel have drawn criticism from politicians and Jewish leaders.
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events → take → politicians
The demonstrations have been organised at Sydney Town Hall in the CBD and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong for Wednesday by two separate groups.
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demonstrations → organise → groups
The organisation Jews Against The Occupation '48 said on social media that it would host a vigil in Sydney marking Israel's retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza following the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
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it → say → October
Meanwhile, artist Anke Klevjer, a member of Wollongong Friends of Palestine, told The Daily Telegraph that the group's event would be 'stationary and peaceful'.
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event → tell → Telegraph
The action has been criticised by Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, who accused organisers of deliberately creating division.
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who → criticise → division
'If you want to protest, do it on any other day,' he told the Daily Mail.
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he → want → Mail
'These people have no shame.
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people → have → shame
They've created this theatre for themselves…
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They → create → themselves
'We want to have a calm, peaceful society where we can focus on what's truly important and people can spot those that seek to divide us and destroy what we have here which is truly great.'
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which → want → what
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin (pictured) criticised plans to hold pro-Palestine vigils on the third anniversary of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel
The vigils are scheduled to take place at Sydney Town Hall in the CBD and Crown Street Mall in Wollongong on Wednesday.
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vigils → picture → Wednesday
Pictured is a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney in October 2024
NSW Premier Chris Minns described holding vigils on the anniversary as 'obscene'
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane described the choice of date as 'deliberate' and 'cruel', calling on Premier Chris Minns to intervene.
'October 7 marks the worst slaughter of Jewish people since the Holocaust,' she said.
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she → picture → Holocaust
'Families here in Sydney are still grieving and, after Bondi, that grief is close to home.
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grief → grieve → home
Anyone should be able to mourn innocent lives lost in Gaza, but there are 364 other days to do it.
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Anyone → mourn → it
'Choosing this date was deliberate.
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Choosing → choose → date
It's provocative, it's cruel, and the organisers should change it.
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organisers → change → it
The premier agrees this vigil is wrong.
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vigil → agree → ?
But saying 'it's difficult' isn't a plan.
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it → say → ?
He should be asking the organisers directly to move the date.
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He → ask → date
'He should tell the community what police advice he's received and what options he's considered.'
The Daily Mail contacted Minns' office and the two organisations for comment.
Last week, the Premier described holding vigils on the anniversary of a 'horrible and violent' event as 'obscene' while speaking to reporters.
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Premier → tell → reporters
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called on Minns to ask organisers to change the date
'
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Sloane → call → date
To choose that day, I think it's designed to antagonise large sections of our community,' Minns said.
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Minns → choose → community
NSW Police Force told the Daily Mail they are aware of two planned public assemblies in Sydney’s CBD and Wollongong’s CBD on Wednesday.
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they → tell → Wednesday
However, only officers from the Wollongong Police District have received forms requesting authorisation to hold a public assembly.
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officers → receive → assembly
Sydney City Police Area Command had not received any forms from organisers by Tuesday afternoon.
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Command → receive → afternoon
NSW Police said it 'recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly'.
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it → say → speech
Meanwhile, in Melbourne, a 'sit-in vigil' is scheduled to take place outside the State Library of Victoria from 10am to 5pm.
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vigil → sit → pm
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has warned police would step in to 'protect the public' if organisers or protesters breached the state's anti-vilification laws.
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organisers → warn → laws
The Aporia
