Hundreds of kids from schools across the city joined at Sydney’s Town Hall, waving flags and calling for an end to the conflict between Israel and Hamas with “Free Palestine” chants.
“A ceasefire is stopping the war completely, stopping the bombing of hospitals and mosques and churches, that is a ceasefire,” one student said.
Another student said she goes to an Islamic school which supported her leaving early for the rally.
”This cause is more important than a day of school. We can get that back but one child every 10 minutes can’t get that back,” a protester added.
“We are lucky we don’t live in a place where we have to use violence, we can use this to change.”
Israeli civilians rushing to buy guns as conflict intensifies
Police were out in force during the rally.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and Education Minister Prue Car earlier urged students to stay in class, echoing calls from the federal government.
“One of the most important ways you can change the world is get an education,” Car said.
Read Related Also: Major change to the next iPhone confirmed in leaked design models
“You will be marked absent if you go to the protest it’s not a reason to be wagging school today.
“You need to go to school.”
Students hit back at Minns for comments on staying in school for an education instead of rallying.
“What is wrong for me to take a few days out of my time for my people?” a student said.
“Because the schools in Gaza have been shut down due to the amount of bombing we walked out of our school in solidarity with the children in Gaza,” one girl yelled.
Melbourne’s rally yesterday attracted hundreds of students to Flinders Street and Melbourne Central.
Students donned traditional Palestinian headdresses and wore Palestinian flags over their shoulders, taking to the streets with powerful chants and handmade signs.
“We have come out today, people have left school en masse, to say that business as usual can’t continue when Palestinians are being slaughtered in their thousands,” one protester with a megaphone said.
