An estimated 120,000 spectators and 12,500 participants attended famous event yesterday, according to police.
While police said the event was mainly peaceful, they arrested nine people after a pro-Palestinian protest broke out.
This morning police confirmed they had charged eight people over the protest action.
Videos and pictures posted to social media showed a woman passing a flare to another protester, while police wrested a large banner that read “queer solidarity with Palestinian resistance”.
The woman moved towards the middle of the street before four officers moved her back to the fence.
Other protesters, who had their faces covered, waved green and white flags.
Police flooded the area to remove the group as the Rainbow Labor float, which was joined by NSW Premier Chris Minss, entered the area.
The Premier remained about 20 metres behind the protest group.
Mardi Gras parade turns Sydney streets into sea of rainbows
According to NSW Police, seven men and two women were arrested for entering the parade route as the Premier approached.
“Police on parade and Public Order officers arrested the nine prior to them engaging with the Premier. The Premier continued and left the route as intended,” a New South Wales Police spokesperson said.
“All nine were taken to Surry Hills Police Station, with inquiries continuing.”
Nine people were taken to the police station, while eight were charged.
A 25-year-old man and seven women aged 29, 31, 35, 38, 39, 41 and 42 were all charged with more than three people use violence to cause fear.
The Concord man was also charged with possess bright light distress signal in public place.
They were all granted bail and will appear in court at a later date.
The ninth person, a 29-year-old woman, was released pending further investigation.
The group of protesters released a statement following the incident and claimed that police used “excessive force against activists”.
“As a queer person I feel that it’s our responsibility to express support and solidarity here at Mardi Gras with Palestinians resisting the settler-colonial zionist entity and its genocidal violence,” said an anonymous member of the group responsible for the protests, Queers in Solidarity with Palestinian Resistance.
“The Labor party do not deserve to be celebrated here, they deserve to be held accountable for their active support of the zionist state.”
The spokesperson added that the activists vehemently deny that they used flares, stressing that they instead “released smoke effects which are legal in NSW, and are regularly used at events such as weddings, gender reveals, parties, and protest marches”.
The event followed significant controversy this week after Mardi Gras organisers uninvited New South Wales Police from attending, following the deaths of Sydney couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird.
Plain-clothed officers were in attendance and the state’s Police Commissioner Karen Webb also attended.
The Mardi Gras paid tribute to both Luke and Jesse who tragically lost their lives two weeks ago, allegedly at the hands of a New South Wales police officer.
9News understands families of the couple were also marching in the event.
Source: 9news.com.au
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