Hezbollah leader Nasrallah mourned at Sydney and Melbourne rallies
Hezbollah leader Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut, and his death was confirmed on Saturday 28 September 2024. At a large rally at Sydney Town Hall the next day, the SMH reported, "Many of those attending the protest in Sydney held placards that mourned Nasrallah's death". In Melbourne, a small group waved the Hezbollah flag and others carried framed photographs of him. Hezbollah is a listed terrorist organisation in Australia.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said "any indication of support for a terrorist organisation is unequivocally condemned". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "We do not want people to bring radical ideologies of conflict here." The SMH reported that both said the federal government did not mourn Nasrallah. It also reported that "a handful of mosques" held vigils that week for Nasrallah and for civilians killed in strikes. The Shia Muslim Council of Australia said: "It is in this context that the Muslim community is attending protests and holding mourning ceremonies."
NSW Police charged a 19-year-old woman with causing the public display of a prohibited terrorist organisation symbol at the Sydney rally (Guardian, 2 Oct 2024). The AFP charged a Ferntree Gully man, 36, on 13 December 2024 and summonsed a Broadmeadows man, 34, on 6 February 2025, both over Hezbollah flags at the Melbourne protest. As at December 2024 the AFP said 13 people remained under investigation.
Iran's ambassador, Ahmad Sadeghi, called Nasrallah a martyr and "unparalleled leader" on social media. Albanese responded: "The government condemns any support for terrorist organisations such as Hezbollah. We condemn the ambassador's comments" (ABC, 4 Oct 2024).
More sources:
The Australian, 30 September 2024: Hezbollah flags and framed photographs of Nasrallah in Sydney and Melbourne; the chant, translated, means "at your service, Nasrallah". Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke warned he would consider cancelling the visas of anyone who incites discord. (original on YouTube)
