The Curative Power of a Departure
The story beneath the story: New South Wales police, fresh off widespread allegations of brutality during protests on February 9th, suddenly found their 'designated protest zones' — a polite term for ban — quite unnecessary. Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the restrictions lifted, freeing up Sydney’s CBD and eastern suburbs for democratic expression, but only after Israeli President Isaac Herzog
had graciously departed. This isn't an isolated incident but a recurring script. One might recall how authorities in various Western capitals routinely clamp down on dissent the moment an 'ally' with a controversial agenda arrives. In 1988, Margaret Thatcher's government banned media from interviewing Sinn Féin members directly, silencing Irish republican voices. More recently, critics note
similar patterns emerging around visits by officials tied to states with documented human rights concerns. Historically, the playbook is simple: shield foreign dignitaries from public scrutiny by temporarily extinguishing the very freedoms their hosts claim to uphold. The current episode, however, adds a rather snarky twist. Over half a million people have been killed in Gaza since October,
according to Palestinian authorities, yet Australian citizens' right to protest was temporarily shelved for one visiting official. It seems some lives, and some comfort levels, are deemed more equal than others. The 2003 'weapons of mass destruction' charade, amplified by media and protected by official narratives, paved the way for a devastating war, illustrating the dangers of stifling