Busker attacked by pro-Palestinian protester as Melbourne faces biggest protest in decades

A protester attempts to step on the equipment of a busker, setting off a fracas in Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall (Ben Bresley)

Melbourne is bracing for what could be its largest protest since the 2000 World Economic Forum, as pro-Palestinian groups and other anti-war protesters aim to disrupt the three-day Land Forces Exposition.

Billed by organisers as Australia's largest defence industry event, Land Forces includes a weapons exhibition, a defence industry conference and awards for innovative defence technology.

The protest coalition Disrupt Land Forces describes it as a "one-stop genocide shop," and has organised a week-long protest. The main event will be on Wednesday when police anticipate up to 25,000 protesters. Their demands include shutting down the conference and that the Australian Government stops arming Israel.

Pro-Palestinian groups form a large proportion of those driving the protest coalition, among them the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network, Unionists for Palestine, Students for Palestine, the Loud Jew Collective, and Jews Against Fascism.

Sunday's iternation of the weekly pro-Palestinian rally was recast as the start of the week-long protest campaign and provided a taste of what may be to come.

The rally turned violent when protesters clashed with buskers on Bourke Street outside David Jones. Protesters demanded the buskers stop their performance and declare their support for "the children of Gaza".

Pro-Palestine protesters block a tram in Melbourne on Sunday (Image: Ben Bresley).

Busker Cam Nicholson wrote on his GoFundMe page that he and his partner Konstantin were preparing to move when they were attacked.

"When we stopped our performance and started packing up, a protester began chanting into a microphone. We tried to communicate with him, saying, "We don’t have a problem with your cause; just let us move our equipment.

"In response, another protester mocked us, gestured rudely, and swore at us. This individual attempted to step on my pedal board. In self-defence of my expensive equipment—which I rely on for my livelihood—I moved the protester away. This action triggered an aggressive reaction from the protest group.

"A mob of protesters then violently attacked Konstantin and me, an incident captured on camera by Konstantin. Cam was struck in the face with a steel flagpole, shattering his glasses and narrowly missing his eye. During the chaos, the police intervened, but our equipment was severely damaged—crushed and kicked around, as shown in the video footage."

Two men were arrested for alleged assault on police officers during the incident, and David Jones was forced to close its doors.

Chants of "all Zionists are terrorists" and "f**k Israel" were heard during the rally. These slogans, alongside online propaganda encouraging "globalizing the intifada," have raised concerns about antisemitism masquerading as anti-war sentiment.