Nine charged after violent clashes at Sydney CBD protest during Herzog visit

Nine people have been charged and at least six more are expected to face court following violent clashes between protesters and police in Sydney's CBD during a large demonstration at Town Hall on Monday night.

NSW Police said around 6,000 people gathered for a rally organised by the Palestine Action Group, which was billed as a peaceful protest against the visit to Australia of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Tensions escalated after speeches concluded when sections of the crowd attempted to march north along George Street toward NSW Parliament, despite temporary protest restrictions in place under the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration and the Major Events Act.

Police said rallies and marches at Town Hall had been prohibited under emergency restrictions introduced earlier this month following the Bondi Beach terror attack. Additional powers were also granted to police over the weekend, allowing officers to close parts of the CBD and issue move-on directions during President Herzog's visit.

According to NSW Police, repeated directions were issued for the crowd to disperse. When some participants failed to comply and attempted to push through police lines, officers moved to break up the gathering, resulting in multiple scuffles and arrests.

Twenty-seven people were arrested during the operation, including 10 for allegedly assaulting police. Nine people - six men and three women aged between 19 and 67 - have now been formally charged with offences including assaulting police, hindering police and refusing to comply with a lawful direction. All were granted bail to appear in court at a later date, except for a 28-year-old man who faced Sydney bail court on Tuesday. Police said six additional people are expected to receive court attendance notices.

Five members of the public were taken to hospital after officers deployed capsicum spray, while two police officers were treated by paramedics at the scene.

The confrontation has sparked sharp political and community debate, with protest organisers accusing police of excessive force and "state violence". Palestine Action Group spokesperson Josh Lees said many protesters were injured while attempting to leave the area and claimed police actions were disproportionate.

Several Greens MPs, including Jenny Leong, Sue Higginson and Abigail Boyd, appeared alongside organisers on Tuesday, calling for an independent investigation into police conduct. Boyd alleged she was assaulted by officers while filming near the steps of Town Hall, claims which police have rejected.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna defended the response, saying officers showed restraint in what he described as a "precarious" situation in which police were significantly outnumbered. "Our officers were threatened, jostled and assaulted during rolling melees," he said.

Premier Chris Minns said police had been placed in an "impossible situation" after organisers refused to relocate the protest to Hyde Park, citing concerns about a nearby Jewish community event at the International Convention Centre. He said police action prevented potentially far more serious clashes.

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon described the events as "simply unacceptable" and said police "held the line" to prevent an angry crowd from moving through the city.

Despite the violence, speakers at the rally earlier in the evening - including former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and human rights advocates - addressed the crowd peacefully before the confrontation unfolded.

Police investigations are continuing, with officers reviewing body-worn camera footage and social media vision. NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley urged people to reconsider attending further protests planned outside Surry Hills Police Station, warning against deliberately antagonising police.