Tuesday 29 July 2025

Topics: Melbourne vandalism, Palestine bridge march

E&OE.......................

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MATT SHERVINGTON: Police are currently investigating anti Israel activists behind these terrifying attacks on one of Australia's biggest logistics companies, Toll Group. The footage posted by Vandal shows a group of masked figures smashing the windows of numerous offices across Melbourne alongside confronting threats. It comes just weeks after a disturbing video was released of another mass individual claiming to be responsible for firebombing a weapons manufacturer also in Melbourne. For more, we're joined by Dave Sharma, Senator and former Australian Ambassador to Israel, live in Canberra. Great to have you with us this morning. Your thoughts on the footage that appeared overnight?

DAVE SHARMA: Look, I condemn it absolutely. I mean, you know, this is disrupting a lawful business, but it's also designed to send a chill of terror down the spines of all the employees and workers who are there at Toll Technologies. A few weeks ago it was Lovett Technologies. I mean, these are legitimate businesses employing decent Australians who just want to be able to do their job, but instead they're being terrorised by these videos and having threats made against their wellbeing and safety. I mean, the police need to take this very seriously, find the perpetrators and make sure they are punished.

MATT SHERVINGTON: There's a lot of concerning elements, isn't there, to these videos that are obviously being released on purpose. The idea that they're attacking, potentially connected, businesses, like, a logistics company, an ammunition company. We don't know if they are directly linked, but it's concerning nonetheless.

DAVE SHARMA: Look, it is concerning, but, you know, these are legitimate businesses that abide by the laws of Australians, that pay their workers decently, that trade with our partners and our neighbours. I mean, we can't have a situation where vigilantes are able to disrupt or stop business and commercial activity from happening in Australia because of some tenuous link to a policy overseas that they don't agree with. I mean, that's a recipe for lawlessness and anarchy.

MATT SHERVINGTON: Let's move on because the demonstration has been planned for this weekend in Sydney now, where pro Palestinian activists are prepared to defy orders from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and march along the Sydney Harbour Bridge. What's your reaction to this?

DAVE SHARMA: Well, I agree with the Premier that march should not be allowed to go ahead. I mean, bear in mind, look, these people have a right to protest, but they're not protesting about an Australian government policy. These aren't nurses or teachers or trained workers or doctors going on strike about paying conditions which have a little bit more sympathy. This is protesting about a foreign conflict, which, you know, the New South Wales government doesn't have any control over, the Australian Federal government has very limited influence over, and they're planning to disrupt Sydney's major piece of infrastructure, causing inconvenience to tens of thousands of people. I mean, you know, right time, right place, and this is not appropriate.

MATT SHERVINGTON: So just quickly, are you ok, if it was an alternate route?

DAVE SHARMA: Look, if they wanted to do the normal march, you know, town hall, the Hyde park, which often happens, you know, I'm not a fan of those happening on a weekly basis, but yes, people have a right to protest. But taking over the Harbour Bridge to, you know, protest about a foreign conflict, I think is, you know, incredibly disproportionate. And the premier is right to be opposed to it.

MATT SHERVINGTON: Senator, thanks for your time.

DAVE SHARMA: Thanks so much.

[ENDS]