Pro-Palestinian activists have breached security to stage a protest on the roof of Parliament House.
At least four protesters have unfurled banners, including one that reads: “From the river to the see, Palestine will be free”, a phrase considered to be anti-Semitic.
The protesters, with covered faces and wearing keffiyehs, can be seen from the Parliament House forecourt.
The protest is taking place on the final sitting day of federal parliament before it breaks till five weeks.
One protester began reading from his phone, accusing the Albanese government of being complicit in the genocide of Palestinians, as well as Indigenous Australians.
He also denounced Australia for its involvement in the Vietnam and Afghanistan wars.
“Presently, Israeli government is selling the parts of the weapons system they use by the Israeli regime to commit war crimes and genocide,” he said.
Opposition Senate leader Simon Birmingham said he was concerned by the demonstration. “We’ve seen in defence of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, but that’s got to be done in ways that don’t put other people in danger (and) don’t create massive inconvenience for other Australians as well,” he said.
The Australian Federal Police are are responding, but no no arrests have been made at this stage.
There doesn’t appear to be any link between the demonstration and the indefinite suspension of Senator Fatima Payman after she crossed the floor in support of a Greens motion on Palestinian statehood.
Speaking to Sky News, independent Fowler MP Dai Le said she was “shocked” by the protest, and questioned how activists managed to bypass security.
“I came here to to be prepared to talk on your program about the cost-of-living and I was told that (there were) protests happening outside,” she said.
Pro-Palestinian protests have been held around the country since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last October.
More to come
