Desk Report,
Bangladeshis also participated in the largest march in history for Palestine on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge
Sydney’s sky had been gloomy since morning. As the stream of millions of people moved towards the city center, ignoring the dripping rain and the biting cold wind, it was clear that today would not be an ordinary day. Sydney’s history is about to be rewritten on Sunday. An unforgettable sea of people walked over Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge today to show solidarity with Palestine and protest the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Organizers claim that the number of participants in this procession has exceeded two to three lakhs, which is unprecedented in the history of this city. A large number of expatriate Bangladeshis also participated in it.
Bangladeshis also participated in the largest march in history for Palestine on Sydney’s Harbour Bridge
The situation was heated
Extreme tension had prevailed across Sydney for a week before the procession was held. New South Wales Chief Minister Chris Means and the police administration were reluctant to allow the procession. They went as far as the state Supreme Court to stop the procession, citing security reasons. But on Saturday, the court rejected the police’s application and ruled in favor of the procession. This legal battle and the government’s direct opposition created a kind of stubbornness among the common people. Since the court’s verdict, a wave of protests has arisen on social media. Everyone seemed to bet that they would go to the Harbour Bridge, ignoring all obstacles. Sabrin Farooqui, a former city councilor and social activist of Bangladeshi origin, who was awarded the Order of Australia, and her son participated in the protest. August 3, 2025A sea of people in the eyes of an eyewitness
The procession was supposed to start from North Sydney at around 2 pm. But long before that, the railway stations, especially Wynyard and North Sydney stations, were crowded. At that time, the Palestinian flags, banners and festoons were everywhere. Black, white, green and red – these four colors seemed to cover the entire city. From small children holding the hands of their parents to elderly people in wheelchairs, people of all ages, religions and races united in one demand. According to the police, the number of participants was more than 90,000; but the organizers claim that the number exceeded three hundred thousand.
A large number of Bangladeshis also participated in this huge crowd. They were joined by Sabrin Farooqui, a former city councilor and social activist of Bangladeshi origin who was awarded the Order of Australia. She joined the procession with her son. While sharing her experience, she told Prothom Alo, ‘It was an unprecedented and emotional scene. There can be arguments about the numbers, but it was a real sea of people. People ignored the rain, came in wheelchairs, the elderly came, children came. The biggest thing, I think, was that 90 percent of this crowd was non-Muslim. This was not a protest against any particular religion or nation, it was a cry for humanity. This scene will not be forgotten.’
As the rain increased, the slogans of the people also increased in volume. The Harbour Bridge and its surrounding areas were shaking with slogans like ‘Free, Free Palestine’, ‘Stop the Genocide’, ‘In our millions, we are all Palestinians’. As far as the eye can see, only people and people. Police helicopters circle overhead, but the sea of people below is silent.
Although there was a festive atmosphere in the Harbour Bridge area, there was a deep sense of pain and anger behind it. Activist Hannah Thomas, who was seriously injured by the police and in the eye last month, was also in the protest march. She joined the march wearing an eyepatch in the colors of the Palestinian flag. In addition, world-renowned Australian journalist Julian Assange, former Australian Foreign Minister and long-time former Chief Minister of New South Wales Bob Carr, and many human rights figures joined the march.
