Politicians who attended protest against visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog say police actions against demonstrators were ‘wildly inappropriate’

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The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has defended the actions of police at a rally against Isaac Herzog’s visit, after video footage emerged showing officers repeatedly punching a number of protesters.

The premier on Tuesday rejected suggestions his own anti-protest restrictions had created what he deemed to be an “impossible situation” for police dealing with thousands of protesters outside Sydney’s Town Hall.