Australian authorities have significantly tightened security in Sydney’s Central Business District in advance of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s state visit, which begins on Monday and is set to span five days across major cities including Canberra and Melbourne.

The visit follows the December Bondi Beach terror attack, in which fifteen people were killed, and has been framed by government officials and Jewish community leaders as a moment of solidarity and support for a grieving community.

Security measures include a major events declaration granting New South Wales police expanded powers to manage crowds, close or restrict access to key areas, and issue fines for non-compliance as officers seek to ensure public safety during the high-profile visit.

Premier Chris Minns has repeatedly called for calm and respect, urging demonstrators to act peacefully and warning that heightened enforcement measures are focused on protecting both the public and lawful assembly.

Despite these precautions, protest organisers, notably the Palestine Action Group, have vowed to proceed with demonstrations against Herzog’s visit, with rallies planned in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and other cities.

The group’s planned march through Sydney’s CBD has become a focal point of dispute, with police deeming the Town Hall-to-Parliament route unauthorised and offering an alternate route through Hyde Park — an offer organisers have so far rejected.

Legal challenges to protest restrictions are underway in the New South Wales Supreme Court, where activists argue that special powers and public assembly limits infringe on democratic rights, even as authorities maintain such measures are necessary to prevent clashes and maintain order.

More than three thousand police officers, including specialised units for protest and crowd control, are expected to be deployed across Sydney, with at least five hundred dedicated to managing demonstrations.

The broader national debate over Herzog’s visit is polarised: Jewish community leaders and federal officials emphasise the visit’s significance for mourning and unity, while critics, including some pro-Palestinian advocates and civil liberties groups, contend that hosting the Israeli head of state amid ongoing international tensions undermines community cohesion.

As Sydney prepares for the visit and associated protests, businesses and residents have been urged to plan for disruptions due to road closures and public safety arrangements, with authorities stressing the primacy of peaceful, lawful expression of views.