Protests turn violent against Australian company supplying arms to Israel

ISTANBUL

Five people were arrested during a pro-Palestine protest that turned violent against an Australian company supplying arms to Israel in Sydney, according to a statement.

Demonstrators were protesting at SEC Plating on Friday, which is "involved in providing plating services for various parts used in F-35 jets," The Greens New South Wales party said in a statement.

Israel's "fleet of around 40 F-35 rely on the global supply chain and supplement supply from countries like Australia to continue the genocide against the Palestinian people," it said.

New South Wales (NSW) state police said it issued a move on direction to about 60 protesters, who allegedly attempted to block pedestrian access to the business.

Five were arrested on several grounds, from not listening to police directions to running from police.

All five were granted conditional bail to appear before Bankstown Local Court on July 15.

A woman sustained a serious injury to her eye during her arrest.

"During the 35-year-old woman’s arrest," former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas, "she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment," said police.

Circulating on social media were images of Thomas with a swollen eye that was closed and blood caked on her face. Thomas could reportedly lose her eye.

Greens lawmaker and NSW Justice spokeswoman Sue Higginson said the police's actions "can only be described as brutal and excessive," and "there is a significant question about the lawfulness of what they have done to members of the community exercising their rights of assembly this morning.”