<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>There is a growing push more scrutiny of NSW Police after violence at a rally at Sydney's Town Hall earlier this week, with several lawyers offering protesters free help and an independent body investigating in the name of public interest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Police, who were given </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/police-granted-additional-powers-as-israeli-presidents-visit-declared-major-event/26567077-0fb5-4eff-b849-e320ac35e410" rel="" target="_blank" title="special powers ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit"><span>special powers ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit</span></a><span> to Australia, drew widespread criticism after vision emerged of officers appearing to punch and shove protesters, spraying people with capsicum spray and dragging Muslim men mid-prayer at the Town Hall rally on Monday night.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Twenty-seven people were arrested, nine were charged, and five were hospitalised, with police warning of more arrests to come. </span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/liberal-party-leadership-spill-angus-taylor-defeats-sussan-ley/e02a6189-6fb5-4262-af53-7c5acea1c826" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Angus Taylor emerges victorious from Liberal leadership spill</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>O'Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors said the events that unfolded were concerning for "anyone who values civil liberties in this country" and is offering free consultations to those arrested.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When we see pepper spray deployed against crowds, when we see mass arrests, when we see extraordinary police powers invoked, we need to ask: was this proportionate? Was this necessary? Were people's fundamental rights respected?" the law firm said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Over the past few years, we've seen a pattern in NSW: increasingly restrictive laws, increasingly broad police powers, and increasingly aggressive responses to peaceful protest.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-town-hall-protest-lawyers-offer-free-help/7d5dcb70-8488-4e07-80d5-6cd33dd2b2e5" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This should concern all of us, regardless of our political views. Today it might be a cause you disagree with. Tomorrow it might be an issue you care deeply about."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hanna Legal is opening a pop-up clinic in Parramatta on Sunday for anyone injured, arrested or charged to receive free advice and for witnesses to give their statements and footage to help others in their cases.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/rba-rate-hike-borrowers-urged-to-resist-interestonly-temptation-as-gruelling-cash-rate-hike-takes-effect/03c0922b-669c-43c3-9a28-d98db05a1f3c" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Struggling borrowers forced to dig deep as gruelling cash rate hike takes effect</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Inner City Legal Centre chief executive Katie Green offers free legal advice and support and has received dozens of people reaching out following the protest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I absolutely knew that it was going to be violent. I was so, so concerned that it was going to be violent because the orders and the laws that were enacted by the premier and the commissioner just made it so," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Green was at the protest herself and said police were focussed on keeping the crowd of about 30,000 off the road but protesters were unable to disperse.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They were too busy, kind of pushing people and directing them and squashing them into a small, confined space," Green claimed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And every single entrance to Town Hall Station was blocked off, every single one. It was impossible. I actually had to plead with police to let me out of the ring."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Green said she believed some of the actions of officers "absolutely" exceeded the powers they had been granted.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/nancy-guthrie-suspect-description-and-backpack/f5533911-7080-42fa-bd6a-e53ff3e4e504" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>FBI issues new details of suspect in Nancy Guthrie case</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It always has to be reasonable and necessary and the least intervention possible," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There were enough police there that if they wished to arrest people and move them on, there were enough of them to have done so ... in a manner that involved less violence."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Greens MP Abigail Boyd was left in a neck brace and said she was injured in the protest, while her colleague Jenny Leong was pepper-sprayed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Jann Alhafny, a 69-year-old grandmother, told 9News she broke her spine after being shoved during the protest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-premier-reacts-to-isaac-herzog-demonstrations/d172324a-ec31-44cf-b331-2dff73c94ed5" rel="" target="_blank" title="NSW Premier Chris Minns defended the police response"><span>NSW Premier Chris Minns defended the police response</span></a><span>, saying it was "proportionate" to the situation, while Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon initially said his officers showed "remarkable restraint".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-post-seeks-stamp-price-rise/f1b587f2-e8c8-45a7-9762-c420f2e5058a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Australia Post wants to raise letter stamp price</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-protest-pro-palestine-police-response/cdfcde98-83ed-4061-a729-85539e52e684" rel="" target="_blank" title="Protesters returned to the city the following evening"><span>Protesters returned to the city the following evening</span></a><span> for a mostly peaceful demonstration in a park near the Surry Hills Police Station to oppose the actions of police.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After receiving several complaints, the independent </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/lecc-to-investigate-police-operation-at-sydney-town-hall-protest-on-9-february-2026/7e7e0988-f7f0-4bfc-b8f1-ec91beabe9dc" rel="" target="" title="Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has launched an investigation"><span>Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has launched an investigation</span></a><span> into the police operation and alleged misconduct.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The watchdog will obtain vision, documents, internal police records, and testimonies. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Lanyon has since promised to review the actions of officers and said he will hold each officer "responsible for their own actions".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" 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