Moment Carols by Candlelight is crashed by pro-Palestinian protesters – drowning out the Christmas spirit with political chants
Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted Chanel Nine’s Carols by Candlelight extravaganza by storming the stage and grabbing the host’s microphone.
During the broadcast at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl, presenters David Campbell and Sarah Abo were drowned out by chants of ‘Free Palestine’.
Moments later, several protesters carrying Palestinian flags stormed the stage as cameras opened a wide shot.
‘While you’re singing, children are dying in Gaza!’ a voice shouted into the microphone before security dragged her away along with the other protesters.
A stunned Campbell tried to defuse the tense situation as young families looked on in horror.
The annual Carols by Candlelight was hijacked by pro-Palestinian protesters who grabbed a host’s microphone and shouted: ‘While you’re singing, children are dying in Gaza’ (pictured)
“Just take it easy, it’s okay,” Campbell said. “Everyone, relax and unwind.”
‘Everyone can have their say, but we do have children here. We just want to make sure those kids are safe. They’ll be right back here,” he added, referring to the performers on stage.
“It’s a very difficult time in the world right now and there’s a lot of pain out there.”
Security and hosts were praised for their handling of the ordeal.
But many viewers lashed out at the protesters, calling it a “disgrace.”
‘Protesting Christmas carols is an interesting choice, especially when there are children on stage. I’m incredibly impressed with the way the hosts handled it,” someone wrote on X.
Another said: ‘What a shame to try and spoil a great Christmas Eve for everyone, this isn’t the place to do that.’
The ongoing protest followed a day of Palestinian protests in Melbourne and Sydney’s Hyde Park (pictured) for the eleventh week in a row.
A third added: ‘I’m all for people having their say but there’s a place and a time and an event full of kids, right.
“I don’t condone or agree with what is happening to innocent people in Palestine, but I don’t agree with this either.”
A member of Australia’s Jewish community also spoke out against the protest.
“You can always count on anti-Israel extremists to go all out and scare off decent, ordinary people,” said Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
“The chorus of boos tells them loud and clear that they are not wanted.”