November 3, 2023
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A spook tacular Halloween Greater Geelong residents celebrated Halloween on Tuesday in style. The event’s popularity has grown in recent years as youngsters go trick or treating and homeowners decorate their abode and hand out sweet treats. Despite the preconception that Halloween is an American custom, the tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. ■ See pages 4 and 29 for more local
Halloween coverage. Annabelle, Penelope, Sienna, Harley, Mikey and Shayla get into the spirit of Halloween. (Ivan Kemp) 369609_04
Marles’ office ‘swarmed’ Five people have been arrested in Geelong after protesters swarmed the Defence Minister Richard Marles’ office, calling for Australia’s withdrawal of support for Israel. Close to 50 anti-Zionist activists took to the Broughman Street office on Wednesday, November 1, demanding a withdrawal of support for Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestine. A Coburg man, 24, Thornbury man, 25, Brunswick woman, 21, and two Northern Territory women, aged 31 and 37, were arrested at the scene. Activist Nevo Zisin, who is Jewish, said it
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was a peaceful protest that called for an “end to arming the Israeli genocide”, with activists securing themselves to the office by their necks with bicycle locks. “We condemn the diplomatic, political, financial support of this genocide, and as Jewish people, we refuse the conflation (meaning the merging) between Judaism and Zionism,” they said. “It goes against our Jewish values to stand idly by as Palestinians are murdered in their houses, in their homes, and their families and entire bloodlines are wiped out. “Over 800 families have been completely wiped off the registry...and over 8000 Palestinians have already lost their lives.”
Zisin said the goal of the protest was to call upon Mr Marles to condemn Israel’s actions on Gaza and the West Bank as there was currently a “complete blackout in Palestine”. “We refuse to allow our grief and our trauma as Jewish people to be manipulated and to be used as justification for ongoing genocide,” they said. “We will continue to resist this ongoing genocide until it ends and, not just ending with a ceasefire, but also with the end of the ongoing occupation that pushes Palestinians out of their homes. “As a Jewish person, I say I will not be silenced. I will not be bullied. I will not be harassed into complicity. I will stand against
injustice as part of my Jewish value.” Mr Marles, who is currently overseas and wasn’t at his office at the time, said in a statement that the “safety and wellbeing” of his staff was his “first concern” and that the “abuse and destruction of property or goods” was not acceptable. “Peaceful protest is a fundamental right in Australia’s democracy. It is important that as this occurs, it is done so safely and appropriately,” he said. The five activists arrested by police have since been released pending summons concerning trespassing, and no one was injured during the protest.
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By Jena Carr