Published: 21 February 2023
Last updated: 5 March 2024
Members of the Jewish and Israeli community in Melbourne held their first rally on Sunday in solidarity with those who protested in Israel; Sydney holds third pro-democracy rally.
Some 50 people from Melbourne's Jewish and Israeli community gathered in Malvern on Sunday to voice their concerns about the Israeli government's proposed "reforms" to the authority of the judiciary.
Many of the mainly Israeli protesters at Central Park, Malvern held identical signs to those seen in recent Israeli protests, such as “save our startup nation” and "no checks no balances".
One of the demonstrators, Nirit Eylon, told The Jewish Independent: "Looking at the growing global and Israeli protest movement, we felt it is time for the Melbourne community to support Israeli democracy.
"We are worried about the ‘legal reform’ the new Israeli government pushing. Democracy was always a building stone of the Israeli country and what made her so unique in the Middle East arena."
Similar protests have also been held in recent weeks in New York, Toronto and London - and Sydney.
Organisers of the Meburne rally announced that there will be another one in two weeks, at 11am on February 26, at Caulfield Park on the corner of Balaclava and Hawthorn roads.
Photo: Demonstrators at Sunday's rally in Melbourne (suppled)
