https://quadrant.org.au/news-opinions/anti-semitism/the-day-vicpol-finally-did-its-job/
On Sunday the 18th May, 2025, I had the great honour to stand shoulder to shoulder with the courageous Lions of Zion and supporters to face down an enraged mob of 20,000 pro-Hamas marchers in Melbourne. The Lions are fiercely proud Jewish Australians and allies formed in response to the national antisemitism crisis which has seen incidents surge by over 700% in Australia. To Australia’s great disgrace, this surge was in response to the largest loss of Jewish life since the Holocaust, the biggest terror attack in Israel’s history, and Hamas’ declaration of war on October 7, 2023.
We stared down the thousands of pro-Hamas thugs spewing hatred and vitriol as they proceeded on their march from the Yarra to St Kilda — their sick little joke about “River to the Sea”. St Kilda and neighbouring Caulfield are meccas for Jewish life in Melbourne. Of all available destinations, there can be no doubt this route was chosen for maximum intimidation.
Early on that Sunday morning I was picked up at my hotel by a film crew from Rebel News. I was hooked up with an audio wire. It was important that my conversations with the police be recorded.
We then drove to end of Princes Bridge, where I met with the brave Lions, proudly displaying Aussie and Israeli flags. They were very happy to see me and gave me a very warm welcome. One member of the group furiously shook my hand and said, “We heard there was a criminal barrister coming down from Sydney to stand with us. We are so glad you are here.”
I gave them a briefing, first of all asking if anyone had any weapons. Of course none did. They were armed only with Israeli flags, Aussie flags, fierce pride and great courage. Some were huge, powerfully built bodybuilders and martial arts experts. I myself am a former wrestling champion and have been a lifelong body builder. But we were only 40 against 20,000 screaming Hamas supporters and all their left-wing woke neo-Marxist hangers-on. I explained to the Lions the law of self-defense: if attacked by the Hamasnik thugs, the law does not expect them to turn the other cheek. The law allows them to use reasonable force to protect themselves and to protect each other. But this force must not be excessive. You are not allowed to pound your assailant into a coma.
I then approached the top cop in charge of the several hundred present at the scene. I introduced myself with my barrister’s ID card. He inspected it twice. I explained who I was and why I was there: to protect my people from assault, not only by the thugs, but also from assault by Victorian Police. I was there to protect their legal rights.
And what an indictment this is. At a so-called “pro-Palestine” protest outside the Victorian Parliament, police stood by and let this happen. Viral footage has repeatedly exposed a VicPol policy of protecting threatening mobs while arresting those few who are brave enough to stand against the terrorism of October 7 and the hate washing weekly over our own streets. In Sydney, at a pro-Hezbollah march in October, 2024, police allegedly said “We’re here to protect the protest.”
In Melbourne, officers were non-responsive when a protester screamed across police lines at a man draped in an Australian flag: “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” The intended target implored the police, “Are you going to do anything? He just threatened to kill me! Are you going to act?” The answer from the cop was a deafening silence.
This non-policing policing is not keeping the peace. This is total surrender to the mob. These are not peaceful protests — they are fueled by hate, intimidation, threats and open support for terrorists. There is no red line that these protests haven’t already crossed. And the police have enabled it, allowed it, even encouraged it.
The only reason police acted differently last weekend was because I was there to read them the Riot Act and tell them what I expected of the police that day. After consulting with his command, the officer finally advised me, “We’ll give you a chance to protest peacefully.”
Had I not been there, I am pretty sure VicPol would have told all 40 Lions and their supporters to go away, arresting them should they fail to comply.
I was there not only to defend the legal right of the Lions to protest peacefully, but also to ensure they were protected from assault by thugs, and also from assault by the police, which has often occurred in the past. I told police directly: I was also there to prevent any unlawful arrests. I made it very clear to the top cop that I expected him and all his officers to do their job properly, concluding by saying: “You now know my position, and this is what I expect.” We then shook hands and he said we will work together.