Full Breakdown
Royal Commission Hearing Rebuts Hijack Claims and Addresses Police Handling of 2023 Protest
8/6/2026, 1:28:33 AM
Core Event
On August 4 2026, Commissioner Virginia Bell SC presided over a session of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. The hearing examined allegations that counsel for the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN) and the Palestine Action Group (PAG) had “hijacked” the inquiry and that Commissioner Bell had received “truly abusive, Islamophobic” emails after counsel’s appearance. Bell rejected the hijack claim, affirmed that counsel’s cross-examination was authorised, and condemned the email attacks.
Background & Context
The commission was established to examine antisemitism and social cohesion in Australia. Its agenda includes scrutiny of two high-profile protests: the October 9 2023 rally organised by PAG, in which roughly 700 people marched from Town Hall to the Sydney Opera House, and a neo-Nazi rally outside NSW Parliament on November 8 2025. The October 9 protest followed the Hamas attack on October 7 2023, sparking nationwide debate over pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Data & Statistics
- October 7 2023: Hamas attack on southern Israel.
- October 9 2023: Approximately 700 participants marched, with some chanting “Where’s the Jews” and lighting flares.
- November 8 2025: Neo-Nazi rally outside NSW Parliament cited as a comparative case.
- August 14 2026 (scheduled): Sessions on radicalisation are expected to conclude.
Official Statements & Responses
Acting Deputy Commissioner Peter McKenna described the failure to advise the Jewish community ahead of the October 9 protest as “human error” and said police had relied on legal advice when deciding not to oppose a later “Abolish the Jewish lobby” rally. NSW Premier Chris Minns called Mathur’s questioning “disappointing” and expressed concern that the focus had shifted from antisemitism to foreign-policy testing.
On-the-Ground Reports
Witnesses recounted that police issued an advisory to roughly 10,000 Jewish-community email addresses, urging avoidance of Town Hall and the Opera House on the night of the October 9 rally. Mr Ossip said the advisory had “profound psychological impacts” and was “unprecedented” in telling a community to stay away from its own city centre.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The commission’s forensic review of CCTV footage found no evidence that protesters chanted “gas the Jews,” contradicting some media claims. While Mr Ossip asserted that police effectively handed control of the CBD to protesters, Deputy Commissioner McKenna maintained that officers on the ground did not feel the protest was at risk of becoming unmanageable.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The idea that the focus shifted from antisemitism in Australia to testing a witness on foreign policy by the lawyers representing PAG and APAN is disappointing and doesn't reflect the purpose of these hearings,” — Chris Minns, NSW Premier
- “It was effectively police transferring control of the CBD to the protesters,” — David Ossip, president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies
- “It's one of those ones where … whilst some things are abhorrent and offensive, if they don't meet the threshold of breaching the law, then we fall back to the fact that people have a right to public assembly.” — Peter McKenna, acting deputy commissioner
What's Next
The commission will continue hearings on Thursday and will conclude its radicalisation sessions by August 14 2026. Further testimony is expected from experts on far-right extremism, community security funding, and the broader drivers of antisemitism in Australia.
