Melbourne city council voted down a motion for ceasefire in Gaza

Fiery protests have erupted in Melbourne's CBD, after the city council narrowly voted down a motion calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war.

Transcript

00:00 Melbourne City Councillors debated a motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

00:06 And after more than three hours and 900 submissions, the Deputy Lord Mayor cast the deciding vote.

00:12 Ultimately, my view was that it was going to do more to divide Melbournians than unite them.

00:18 Councillor Jamal Hakim, who brought forward the motion, denies the move was divisive.

00:23 Our community right here in Melbourne is feeling unheard.

00:26 They are in pain. They are feeling the atrocities that are happening in Israel and Palestine.

00:31 Seven Victorian councils have passed their own motions calling for a ceasefire.

00:35 We know that after councils pass motions like this, it enables and it emboldens the community to attack the Jewish community.

00:44 Some people perhaps should be working in Canberra in the Foreign Affairs Office.

00:48 We can chew gum and walk at the same time.

00:50 We are absolutely peaceful and we are parents and health care workers who are concerned about the slaughter of Palestinian people.

00:59 My focus and the government's focus and it really should be the focus of all Victorians is not to drive further division.

01:08 A conflict overseas that's continuing to hit close to home.

01:12 [BLANK_AUDIO]