Activists urge the Australian judiciary to acknowledge that "Israel" is committing genocide in Gaza.

The British newspaper "The Guardian" reported on Tuesday that the Working Group for Palestine requested a court in Sydney to issue a ruling declaring that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, as part of a legal battle to organize a protest in front of the Opera House in the city.

The newspaper explained that representatives from the group and the organization "Jews Against Occupation" appeared before the Supreme Court of New South Wales, facing the state police, which opposed the proposed march from Hyde Park to the Opera House in Sydney on October 12, citing security concerns, while the protest organizers called for "an end to the genocide in Gaza."

"The Guardian" noted that Judge Ian Harrison briefly heard the case before referring it to the Court of Appeal at the request of the police lawyer, given the proximity of the protest date and other legal complexities.

Nicholas Hanna, a lawyer for the groups opposing the New South Wales police, stated that they would file a request with the court on Wednesday for a positive ruling regarding genocide when considering the organization of the protest next Sunday.

The newspaper clarified that the testimony of Australian legal expert Chris Sidoti was presented as part of the group's evidence to prove that Israel's behavior amounts to genocide.

Sidoti is a member of the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which issued a report last month stating that the Israeli government and military are committing genocide in Gaza, a claim that Israel has rejected.

"The Guardian" added that lawyer Hanna emphasized that the court should consider "the seriousness and urgency of the case" when evaluating the police's justifications for preventing the protest, explaining that "genocide is the crime of crimes, and this is what Israel is committing, which is why we say it is relevant to the case."

In a previous hearing on Friday, the newspaper quoted Judge Desmond Fagan describing Israel's behavior as "genocide," noting that the number of participants in the march could exceed 100,000 people given "the prevailing sentiments in the community after two years of live broadcasts of the genocide of a large number of people," urging the police to consider "the strength of public sentiment" on this issue.

"The Guardian" reported that Assistant Police Commissioner Peter McKenna announced on Friday that the New South Wales police rejected the "first model" request submitted by the Working Group for Palestine to organize the protest, based on security concerns regarding the possibility of crowd surges, while emphasizing the police's readiness to negotiate an alternative route.

The newspaper indicated that approval of the "first model" grants participants in the protest legal protection from prosecution under summary offenses law, while the police's rejection leads to the final decision being referred to the court to determine whether the protest should be licensed or prohibited.

It clarified that the court also heard a discussion on whether organizing the protest at the Opera House contradicts the regulations governing its use, which restrict public gatherings, noting that the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and the Jewish House of Representatives plan to challenge the organization of the demonstration and its location.

"The Guardian" quoted a lawyer representing Jewish groups saying that some members of the Jewish community fear a repeat of what happened on October 9, 2023, when protesters marched from the Sydney Town Hall to the Opera House, which was then lit in blue and white to commemorate the victims of Hamas attacks, where some individuals, whom the police confirmed were not organizers of the protest, launched flares and shouted anti-Semitic slogans.

Alex Rivchin, co-CEO of the Jewish organization, added that the planned demonstration on Sunday "will fuel hatred against the Jewish community," warning of "a significant public cost to security and social cohesion," saying: "This madness must stop."

"The Guardian" concluded by noting that the Working Group for Palestine had approached the Supreme Court more than two months ago to allow it to organize a march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was approved at that time, with the estimated number of participants between 225,000 and 300,000 people.