High-Risk Alert Issued for Anti-Israel Protests Planned Across Australia
Nationwide anti-Israel rallies planned for August 24, including in Sydney and Melbourne, are expected to draw thousands — a high-risk alert warns of potential clashes with bystanders and police
Israel's National Center for Combating Antisemitism has issued a high-risk alert regarding coordinated nationwide anti-Israel demonstrations planned for August 24 across Australia, with major rallies set for central Sydney and Melbourne locations that could draw thousands of participants and potentially escalate into confrontations.
The protests are organized and promoted under the banner "Nationwide March for Palestine" by several established advocacy groups. These include organizations whose leadership has faced significant controversy. Among them is Nasser Mashni, President of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), who has drawn scrutiny over charitable funding links to organizations flagged for alleged terror financing violations and his public endorsement of convicted aircraft hijacker Leila Khaled as a "hero." Also involved is Palestine Action Group Sydney, an affiliate of the UK's Palestine Action, which was recently proscribed as a terrorist organization in the UK.
Strategic Urban Positioning Heightens Visibility
The two primary demonstrations are strategically positioned in highly visible metropolitan areas: one commencing at Sydney's Hyde Park at 1:00 PM local time, and another beginning at Melbourne's State Library at noon. While organizers have extended invitations for participation across numerous Australian cities and towns, many of the protests are not located in areas with significant Jewish or Israeli communities, except for Sydney and Melbourne.
Social Media Engagement Suggests Large Turnout
Digital engagement metrics indicate substantial online mobilization, with promotional content receiving thousands of interactions across Instagram platforms.
At the time Israel’s National Center for Combating Antisemitism issued its alert, the organizing groups’ Instagram followings stood at 78,916 for Free Palestine Melbourne, 59,062 for Palestine Action Group Sydney, 20,350 for Free Palestine Coalition Naarm, and 13,238 for Students for Palestine Australia — figures likely to rise as mobilization grows.
The Israeli monitoring center's assessment suggests this online engagement pattern typically correlates with physical attendance in the thousands, with participation likely to increase as the demonstration date approaches.
Controversial Leadership Connections
In November 2023, investigative reporting by Sky News Australia revealed that a charity founded by Mashni, "Olive Kids," which claims to support Palestinian children, has financial partnerships with organizations flagged by international monitoring groups. Specifically, the charity channels funds to the Union of Health Work Committees (UHWC), now operating as "Al Awda Health and Community Association."
NGO Monitor, an international watchdog organization, has identified extensive connections between UHWC and the U.S.-designated terror group, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Furthermore, Israeli authorities designated UHWC as an illegal organization in January 2020, subsequently conducting raids and arrests of affiliated personnel based on allegations of financial misconduct and diversion of international donor funds.
Support for Convicted PFLP Hijacker Leila Khaled
Additional controversy emerged in July 2024 when Mashni participated in an online panel alongside former PFLP terrorist Leila Khaled at the "Ecosocialism 2024" event. Khaled, who was imprisoned for her involvement in two aircraft hijackings in 1969 and 1970, had her Australian visa application rejected earlier in the year following intervention by Jewish community organizations.
During the panel, Mashni referred to Khaled as a "hero" and made several inflammatory statements, including predictions that "Israel will not make 100" years and declarations that "Palestine will be free, from the river to the sea, in our lifetime." He also characterized Australia as a "settler colonial, racist country" in the context of Khaled's visa denial.
Association with Iranian-Tied Proxy Group Polisario Front
Further raising security concerns, Mashni attended a June 2024 University of Canberra symposium where he spoke alongside a representative of the Polisario Front, an Algerian-based paramilitary organization. Security analysts have identified the Polisario Front as functioning increasingly as an Iranian proxy. This includes reportedly receiving training from Iran, obtaining financial and logistical support from Hezbollah, and participating in Syria's conflict in support of the former Assad regime.
During the symposium, Mashni reportedly “highlighted the long-standing Moroccan-Israeli cooperation, emphasizing that the Palestinian issue will not be resolved while Western Sahara is occupied, and vice versa." His remarks appear to have effectively expressed solidarity with the Polisario Front while linking them to the “Palestinian issue”.
Security experts have argued that the Polisario Front meets the criteria for a terrorist organization designation due to its targeting of Moroccan civilians and security forces and have urged the Trump administration to designate them.
Risk Assessment and Security Preparations
Given the combination of central urban locations, experienced organizing groups with histories of disruptive activities, and substantial projected turnout, Australian authorities and citizens should remain vigilant as these demonstrations approach. The controversial leadership connections reveal that these groups are not merely grassroots organizations but appear to represent more sophisticated networks with deeper troubling ties that warrant further investigation.
In stolen, occupied land.