The New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled that the event poses an extreme risk to public safety, as the venue has a limited number of exits and an estimated 40,000 people are expected to respond to the call.

The organizer of the demonstration, Palestine Action Group, presented a proposal for a structured march to mitigate risks, however, the court did not consider it to be within the scope of an acceptable level.

According to Judge Stephen Free, the court’s assessment was unanimous: “the risk to the safety of the participants and the general public is extreme,” he said.

Despite feeling disappointed, the organizers of the march reaffirmed their intention to carry out the initiative, now through a new route agreed with the police that will allow them to go through some streets in the heart of Sydney, the main city of the state.

The Australian government officially recognized the Palestinian state on September 21 as part of a coordinated international effort to push for a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East.

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