Simon Simoudis: Harbour Bridge Protest: A City Divided, A Nation Reflects

In principle, there are very few in Australia who don’t support the Palestinian cause. And why shouldn’t we? The world is watching how women and children are being killed in thousands over the last two years, in the name of revenge, and to eliminate Hamas. What Hamas did on Oct 7, 2023, was abominable. But two wrongs don’t make a right. Hamas is a designated terrorist organization, but we don’t expect responsible countries to behave like terrorists. There must be ways to tackle the problem differently, but Israel didn’t choose to explore any other option. 

Killing innocent women and children is something any civilized society cannot tolerate. I, Simon Simoudis, just can’t watch those horrific videos coming out of Gaza. Bombing and starving children in the name of fighting Hamas is something the world is no longer willing to tolerate. France, Britain, and now Canada, too, have announced that they will be recognizing the state of Palestine. 

The March for Unity is being organized by the Palestine Action Group Sydney on the Harbour Bridge of Sydney, on Sunday, August 3. This Harbour Bridge is an iconic landmark of the city and is the lifeline of Sydney. Thousands use this bridge every day. This march isn’t intended to be merely symbolic; its goal is to draw the attention of the world and to urge it to find a solution to the problem.

While most in New South Wales, including Sydney, aren’t opposed to the Palestinian cause, the government and the police were opposed to the pro-Palestinian march being organized on the Harbour Bridge of Sydney. And the reason for this was purely logistical and administrative. They wanted the march to be held at some other place. The Premier, Chris Minns, was opposed to the Harbour Bridge being closed for many hours. The police, too, had their concerns about managing a crowd of more than 50,000; they feared there could be chaos. 

But the court struck down the objections of the NSW government and the police and granted legal protection to the demonstration. And therefore it’s official now. The Harbour Bridge will be closed from 11.30 am to 4 pm on August 3, Sunday.



To be honest, I, Simon Simoudis, was relieved to see the court take a stand for freedom of expression. But let’s not pretend that the country is united on this. Far from it. There is strong support for the march, and organizations like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International Australia, and the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) will be there on Sunday

On the other side, there are plenty who are opposed to it. The NSW Police Union has described the protest as a “recipe for disaster.” Jewish community leaders have spoken out against it, and there are common Australians who don’t like the idea of disruptions in their country for something happening in a faraway place. 

I, Simon Simoudis, on the one hand, am in support of free speech, but at the same time, I do feel for the people of Sydney, who are going to have chaotic traffic on Sunday. So, if you live in Sydney or plan to travel there this weekend,  avoid going to areas close to the Harbour Bridge. Read more about Simon Simoudis- https://medium.com/@bencole003/simon-simoudis-wimbledon-final-2025-a-clash-of-titans-c8d33e062604


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