Officers should stand down pending protest violence investigation, lawyer says

NSW Police should stand down the officers who are being investigated for alleged excessive use of force during a protest against the Israeli president’s visit, a Sydney legal centre has said.

The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), the watchdog for NSW Police, announced late last week it would investigate the conduct of officers during a protest against a visit by Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Footage that has circulated since the rally appeared to show officers punching protestors and dragging away Muslim men as they prayed.

In a statement on Monday, 16 February, Redfern Legal Centre assistant principal solicitor Samantha Lee said the “extensive” footage has clearly identified the officers “whose use of force appears to be excessive”.

“While the full circumstances of each incident are yet to be established, there are cases that, on their face, not only fail the ‘pub test’ but may also fall short of the legal standard for reasonable use of force,” Lee said.

To maintain public confidence in police while the LECC investigation takes place, Lee said the officers identified from this footage “should be stood down, or at the very least, removed from frontline duties”.

Participants protested the government’s invitation for Herzog to visit despite the United Nations accusing him of inciting genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Herzog has denied the allegations.

The LECC said it received a “significant number of complaints” after the rally, which saw 27 people arrested and nine charged. Police claimed only 6,000 attended, but protest organisers estimated around 50,000.

In the immediate aftermath, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said officers showed “remarkable restraint” and “did what they needed to do”.

NSW Premier Chris Minns also defended police actions, telling Channel 9 the officers had been “put in an impossible situation”.

NSW Police said it would “work cooperatively” with the LECC.