Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed aside concerns about a protest that took place at an Australian Labor Party dinner, insisting he “didn’t see anyone.”
The True Believers dinner was held at The Greek Club in Brisbane on Friday night, as six people were honoured with life memberships.
Outside the venue, pro-Palestine protesters took up residency and reportedly harassed guests as they entered the dinner, according to The Australian.
Queensland Police told The Courier Mail a 21-year-old woman was charged with serious assault after an officer was allegedly spat on the face.
Police had knowledge the event was happening beforehand, and a planned presence of officers attended.
A police helicopter also monitored the protest from above.
About 250 people ended up participating in the protest.
Mr Albanese was asked about the incident on Saturday night during a press conference in Brisbane, however he said he didn’t see it.
“I didn’t make anything of it. It was a fantastic dinner. I didn’t see anyone there. There were 600 people there. True believers at the dinner. It was a fantastic evening,” he told reporters.
“I think a highlight of the evening for me was the presentation of six life memberships to people – like so many people in the party I’m very proud to lead – who’ve never asked for anything, who go out and sell raffle tickets, who staff the barbecue at the Christmas branch meeting, who pitch in to assist.
“There were people from the Sunshine Coast, from the Gold Coast, from Brisbane, who received those life memberships last night, and it was a great honour for myself and the Premier to present them. There was a fantastic atmosphere, I’ve got to say. There were big cheers for all the life members.
A member of Justice for Palestine Meanjin, Omar Ashour told The Courier Mail the activists were trying to get the Labor government to address the same issue Senator Fatima Payman attempted to raise to her own party.
“We are calling for an immediate ceasefire (in Gaza) and we condemn the inaction of this government,” Mr Ashour said.
“Millions of people have been silenced who have tried to speak and even from within the Labor Party itself.”
Senator Payman was suspended from the Labor Party last month after crossing the floor of the Senate to vote for a Greens motion to recognise the state of Palestine and indicating she would be willing to do it again if the same motion was put forward.
The Western Australian Senator made the decision last week to quit the party altogether to sit as an independent in the Senate.