By Tim Howard
Around 100 Grafton residents gathered on Sunday as part of the nationwide protest against Israel’s continued occupation and destruction of Gaza.
The event, called Grafton Gathers for Gaza, took the form of a walk along the banks of the Clarence, pausing for a group photograph on the steps leading down to the river. Walkers carried placards expressing solidarity with Palestinians and demanding an end to what they described as genocide.
While Sydney and Melbourne drew crowds in the tens of thousands, the significance of Sunday’s marches was not only in the capitals. In Grafton — a conservative regional city where public demonstrations are rare — around 100 people took to the streets to voice their opposition to the killing of more than 63,000 Palestinian civilians since the war began.
Their presence underscored how the scale of the Palestinian death toll has pierced even traditionally cautious and conservative communities, where expressions of solidarity with Gaza might once have been considered radical.
Organisers said the Grafton action was about showing local support for a global humanitarian cause.
Across Australia, the day saw one of the largest co-ordinated protest actions in recent years. More than 40 cities and towns hosted events, drawing an estimated 300,000 people nationwide. Sydney’s rally alone was said to have attracted close to 100,000 demonstrators, while Melbourne organisers claimed similar numbers.
Police in Brisbane put the turnout at 10,000, though rally organisers estimated five times that figure.
Adelaide witnessed its largest-ever pro-Palestine demonstration, with thousands marching from Victoria Square to Parliament House.
In Tasmania, thousands filled Hobart’s CBD, while around 300 people marched through Devonport.
Other sizeable rallies were reported in Perth, Canberra, Darwin, Cairns and Alice Springs.
Everywhere, the message was consistent: protesters called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, sanctions on Israel, an end to Australian arms sales, and urgent humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza.
Speakers included community leaders, union officials, Indigenous activists and members of the Greens, who urged the Albanese government to take stronger action in international forums.
The marches come at a time of mounting diplomatic tension following Australia’s recognition of Palestinian statehood earlier this month, a move that provoked a sharp rebuke from Israel. Demonstrators said public pressure must now continue until the government aligns its policies with the growing concern among Australians over the humanitarian crisis.
From Sydney’s Harbour Bridge to the banks of the Clarence River, Sunday’s mobilisation sent a message that support for Gaza is no longer confined to inner-city activist circles.
The participation of towns like Grafton showed the depth of feeling spreading across the nation — a signal that the suffering of Palestinians is hitting home even in the quiet corners of regional Australia.
