A major pro-Palestine protest group has promised to cause “economic pain” in planned protests all over the world, including Australia, from next week, as the bloody Gaza Strip conflict continues.
The protest group A15 Action has called for the protests for next Monday, April 15 in solidarity with Palestine.
The group’s website says they are aiming to “identify and blockade major choke points” in the economy by “focusing on points of production and circulation”.
“The global economy is complicit in genocide. Join participating cities in blocking the arteries of capitalism and jamming the wheels of production,” their call to action states.
“There is a sense in the streets in this recent and unprecedented movement for Palestine that escalation has become necessary: there is a need to shift from symbolic actions to those that cause pain to the economy.
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra, Alice Springs, Hobart, Castlemaine, Geelong and Darwin are listed by A15 Action where protests will take place.
A15 Action’s planned disruptions follow what they say is “overwhelming commitments” to participate around the US and internationally following port shutdowns in Oakland, California in the US, and in Melbourne.
It is understood Monday’s protests could involve targeting major transport thoroughfares, including roads and train stations, as well as ports.
A15 Action has also urged protesters to act in solidarity with each other “in the face of attacks from the media, politicians and the police” along with what they say is the “Zionist project”.
They urge participants not to attack each other or each other’s actions on social media or to the press.
The group said they would not be co-ordinating their protests with the police or talking to them about their fellow organisers.
“Every city will take responsibility for choosing and planning their own local actions,” A15 Action’s website states.
“Fellow organisers will not discourage or denounce each others plans because solidarity means affinity, not ownership.”
A15 Action has been contacted for further comment.
In a statement, Victoria Police said they were preparing to pull resources from a number of regional police stations, as well as specialist areas, in preparation for Monday’s protests.
The State Police Operations Centre will also be activated.
“We respect people’s right to protest when it is lawful and peaceful,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“However, there is no place for anyone wanting to deliberately disrupt and cause harm in our community.
“As we have seen during recent disruptive protests, it is too often innocent people caught up and unfairly impacted when roads and intersections are blocked.”
The Victoria Police spokeswoman urged protesters to reconsider their actions so as not to disrupt “vital work” like those of emergency services.
The mass protest action comes as the Israel-Hamas war enters its seventh month since thousands were killed in the horrific October 7 terrorist attack by the Islamist terrorist group in Israel.
Hamas took hundreds of hostages following the surprise attacks.
Israel’s actions in retaliation have drawn outrage from many in the international community, including accusations of genocide as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) continues to bombard sections of the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian death toll has risen to more than 33,000 since Israel’s retaliatory attacks in the Gaza Strip, the Gazan Health Ministry states.
Many humanitarian groups and the United Nations (UN) have called for a ceasefire.
The Australian government has joined growing criticism of Israel after seven World Central Kitchen Workers, including Australian Zomi Frankcom, were killed by the IDF delivering aid in central Gaza earlier this month.
Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, who served as defence force chief from 2014 to 2018, has been appointed special adviser on Israel’s response to the deadly attack.
The government has demanded full accountability and transparency over the strike, rebuking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over comments he made which appeared to minimise the deaths.