Footage of police officer boasting about punching Sydney anti-Herzog protester raises questions about conduct

Video footage captured during a protest in Sydney on February 9th shows a police officer boasting about "punching" a protester in the head while the protester was already down. The officer's comments were made to his colleagues during the demonstration against Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit. A female officer can be heard laughing before the male officer admits to "punching him in the head when he was down."

The incident occurred at Sydney town hall and was recorded by a police body-worn camera. The video has been widely shared after three protesters had their charges dropped and the remaining 22 faced a joint hearing in July 2027. Premier Chris Minns had previously urged the public to consider the full context before reacting to the 10-second clip of police allegedly punching protesters.

The independent police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (Lecc), was notified by the NSW Greens MP and justice spokesperson Sue Higginson, who alleged the footage demonstrated police misconduct. Higginson stated the police's attitude on that night was obscene and should result in immediate suspension and investigation of the officers involved.

The NSW police spokesperson confirmed awareness of the video but declined to comment due to the ongoing Lecc investigation.