Josh Lees

Josh Lees is a Sydney-based socialist activist and organiser for the Palestine Action Group Sydney. In August 2025 the NSW Supreme Court allowed the group's pro-Palestinian march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to go ahead after NSW Police refused permission (ABC). In October 2025 he successfully challenged amendments to NSW protest laws around places of worship: Justice Anna Mitchelmore found the move-on power "impermissibly burden[ed] the implied constitutional freedom of communication on government or political matters". Premier Chris Minns called the ruling "disappointing" (ABC, SBS).

The day before the 9 February 2026 rally against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit, asked in a TV interview whether "from the river to the sea" would be chanted, he said: "Absolutely, we'll be chanting that tomorrow," and added: "Personally, I do advocate for what is known as a one-state solution."

On 9 October 2023, two days after Hamas's attack on Israel, at the Sydney Town Hall rally that then marched to the Opera House, he told the crowd: "We're on the side of the Palestinians, not just when they're victims and are being massacred. But we're also on the side of the Palestinians when they fight back." Speaking just before him at the same rally, PAG's Assala Sayara said: "To anyone who comes out with an argument that says Hamas is a terrorist organisation, let me tell you that it is internationally recognised that we Palestinians, as Hamas, have a right to resist... Hamas practise anti-colonialism."

At the 9 February 2026 Town Hall rally against Herzog's visit, held under special police powers after PAG lost a last-minute court challenge, Lees argued with senior police beside the stage over whether the crowd could march, without resolution, as chants of "let us march" built. At 7.07pm he told the crowd: "I'm told a conversation has happened and people may or may not already be hitting the streets." Protesters then tried to march and police blocked George Street; arrests, pepper spray and clashes followed from about 7.30pm. At 7.45pm Lees addressed the crowd: "we're going to take back our streets and demand freedom", leading the chant "Whose street? Our street", then said: "I cannot tell you what to do. In my opinion, we have got as far as we're going to. People are getting arrested and pepper-sprayed." Police said 27 people were arrested, including 10 for assaulting officers. Lees said afterwards the violence could have been avoided if police had allowed them to march (Guardian Australia, 14 Feb 2026; SBS; Sky News).

In October 2024 NSW Premier Chris Minns revealed a $5.4m bill for policing the pro-Palestine rallies over the previous year and agreed with the description of Lees, who had lodged weekly applications to march since October 7, as a "professional demonstrator". Minns said: "If you were putting on a rock concert on the weekend, you would have to pay NSW police to keep the public safe - this all comes from NSW taxpayers' back pockets," adding that taxpayers would prefer the money "spent on roadside breath testing, domestic violence investigations, knife crimes". He called it "a huge drain on the public purse" and proposed letting police refuse repeat marches on resourcing grounds (The Australian, 8 Oct 2024). Lees writes for Red Flag, the outlet of Socialist Alternative.