John Janson-Moore, Week 48: Assala Sayara (PEOPLE & PORTRAIT 2024)

Assala Sayara, one of the lead speakers at the 48th consecutive weekly ‘Free Palestine’ rallies held in Sydney, Gadigal Land. These demonstrations have been unprecedented in the history of protest in Australia in terms of sheer cumulative numbers, attracting thousands of marchers every week, despite little or no mainstream media coverage. The rallies have far outstripped other large protest movements, such as those against the Vietnam War during the early 1970s and, more recently, against the war in Iraq in the early 2000s. Organisers have been calling for an immediate ceasefire to the ongoing war in Gaza and elsewhere in Palestine. According to the Gazan Ministry of Health, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since October last year, while the International Court of Justice is investigating Israel for genocide. This portrait, part of a series, was taken in situ at Sydney Town Hall, where many of the Free Palestine rallies have taken place. As the first anniversary of the war approaches, the rallies continue to garner support from diverse communities across Sydney and the nation.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.