Pro-Palestine protest LIVE updates: Sydney Harbour Bridge is shut down ahead of 50,000-strong demonstration – as cops issue final warning

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a rare public appearance at the pro-Palestine march.

He was spotted by a truck next to the event’s main stage and was shielded from the media by organisers.

Mr Assange and his family have laid low since being freed from the US on espionage charges in June 2024.

Mr Assange was incarcerated in London’s HM Belmarsh Prison from April 2019 to to June 2024 while the US tried to extradite him to America to face conspiracy charges over leaked secret military data.

Under a plea deal with US prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to an Espionage Act charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defence documents, and returned to Australia on June 26.

Speeches in Lang Park, near Wynyard on the bridge’s south side, are set to begin shortly.

After hearing from several keynote speakers about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, protesters will start their walk through the CBD at 1.30pm.

They are expected to have fully crossed the bridge around 3pm with the Harbour Bridge set to re-open to motorists at 4pm.

Heavy rain is set to hit protesters as the march begins.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of strong winds reaching up to 35km/h, causing Sydney’s current 16C temperature to feel much colder.

Marchers are also dealing with wet weather, with 7mm having fallen since 9am.

Stuck in Sydney and confused about what’s going on?

We’ve written up some easy information about public transport, road closures and police warnings.

Palestine Action Group spokesperson Josh Lees said the ‘masses have turned out’ for the protest despite heavy rain.

While he wouldn’t give an exact figure of the crowd he expected, Lees told the Sydney Morning Herald organisers believed ‘tens of thousands’ would still attend.

Police warned that officers will be closely monitoring the large crowd for ‘unlawful and anti-social behaviour’.

‘As part of the operation, general duties officers will be assisted by specialist police from the Police Transport Command, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Public Order and Riot Squad (PORS), Operations Support Group (OSG), Mounted Unit, Dog Unit, PolAir and other specialist commands,’ police said in a statement.

‘The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the first priority for NSW Police is always the safety and security of the wider community.

‘Police will not tolerate unlawful behaviour or any actions that risk the safety of others and will not hesitate to take appropriate action against anyone who commits a criminal offence.’

Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Lang Park ahead of the 1pm meeting time to listen to keynote speakers.

Embattled Macquarie University academic Randa Abdel-Fattah, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi and ‘Freedom flotilla’ activist Tania Safi are among those speaking.

A sea of Palestinian flags, kaffiyeh ponchos and umbrellas was seen listening as speeches began.

Other speakers include republican movement leader Craig Foster, Maritime Union leader Paul Keating.

Demonstrators are set to leave the park and head toward the bridge from 1.30pm.

Sydney won’t be the only Aussie hub shut down by protesters.

Pro-Palestine demonstrators are set to block Melbourne’s King Street Bridge on Sunday.

The bridge is one of the main thoroughfares connecting the city’s CBD with southern suburbs.

The rally is set to begin at midday (the scene at the State Library of Victoria, where a march will set off from, is pictured below).

On Saturday, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan warned those who disrupted emergency services would be dealt with ‘swiftly’ by police.

Transport for NSW Executive Director Operations Management, Craig Moran, urged commuters to avoid attempting to cross the bridge during the protest.

Bus services will not cross the bridge during the demonstration.

Buses on the south side of the bridge will terminate in the CBD while those on the northern side will end at North Sydney and St Leonards.

Trains will continue operating across the bridge throughout the protest but are expected to suffer significant delays due to increased commuter volume.

Metro services are also experiencing operational issues.

The Metro will not be available between Tallawong and Sydenham due to track work.

Buses will replace Metro services between Tallawong and Chatswood.

‘The closure will not only impact the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but will have a flow on effect throughout the public transport and road network,’ Mr Moran said.

‘There will be significant delays and disruption so if you must travel, allow plenty of additional journey time, particularly for any critical travel, such as going to the airport.

‘There will be extensive queues in both directions to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel which will extend to the Western Distributor, Anzac Bridge, Rozelle Interchange as well as Eastern Distributor in the south, and also the Gore Hill Freeway and Lane Cove Tunnel and all of the roads linking into these major corridors.

‘A reminder that due to scheduled trackwork Metro services will not run between Tallawong and Sydenham today.

‘The L2 Randwick and L3 Kingsford light rail will also truncate at Town Hall, and there will be no services between Town Hall and Circular Quay.’

(A Sydney pro-Palestine protest in July is pictured below)

NSW Acting Assistant Police Commissioner Adam Johnson urged people to avoid Sydney’s CBD where possible.

He warned ‘the risk is the numbers [of protesters] are unknown’

‘If you’re not going to engage in the assembly I would suggest you do not come to the city,’ Johnson said.

‘There’s going to be major disruptions.

‘But if you choose to come in and participate in the assembly, please do so reasonably, lawfully, listen to police instructions, listen to the marshals who are leading the procession as well.’