A Palestinian Australian man, Eyad Shadid, has filed a civil lawsuit against New South Wales (NSW) police, alleging misconduct during an anti-Israeli President Isaac Herzog protest in Sydney on 9 February. Shadid claims he was physically assaulted, falsely imprisoned, and subjected to a malicious prosecution by officers near Sydney's town hall. He alleges that Constable Daniel Stewart punched him in the face, twisted his wrist, and that another officer kneeled on his head. Shadid was initially charged with resisting arrest and failing to comply with police directions, but the charges were later dropped. Three other protesters also had their charges withdrawn. More than 20 protesters are expected to face a joint trial in mid-2027. Shadid, a member of the Palestine Action Group, stated in court documents that he attended the protest to oppose the Australian government’s invitation to Herzog, whom he claims is a state designated by the United Nations and human rights groups as perpetrating a genocide. He said he intended to "be counted" and was looking for his mother, who had become separated from him during the protest. According to Shadid’s statement, he told police to stop advancing because a group of Muslim men were praying. Stewart allegedly dragged him to the ground and punched him in the face. Another officer is said to have kneeled on his head, and Shadid was handcuffed and taken into custody. He claims that Stewart did not inform other officers that the police line had been moving toward people praying and that he had asked them to stop. Shadid alleges this omission was deliberate and that Stewart falsely claimed Shadid had threatened him. In his police statement, Stewart wrote that the group of men "began" to pray as the police line moved forward and that he was acting lawfully when he arrested Shadid. Shadid claims this was dishonest and designed to make it look like the prayer was a "cynical ploy" to hinder police. NSW police confirmed three days after the protest that the prayer had been authorized, but claimed that message was not passed on to officers. The police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, later apologized for any offense taken after officers dragged away those praying. After Shadid’s charges were dropped, the police prosecutor agreed officers had not given him a move-on direction. Shadid was awarded legal costs and is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages, arguing that he was prosecuted for exercising a lawful democratic right to protest. He stated that being charged led to negative media coverage and a loss of business clients. Shadid’s lawyer, Nick Hanna, described the case as involving "very troubling allegations of police misconduct," claiming that Shadid was violently assaulted and arrested without legal justification and then charged based on false accusations and misleading omissions. The defense has yet to respond to Shadid’s statement of claim. The NSW premier, Chris Minns, and police declined to comment while the matter was before the court. Minns stated after the rally that police were "put in an impossible situation" after protesters defied the public assembly restriction declaration (Pard) law, but refused to apologize to the prayer group or for police conduct. In April, the state’s court of appeal ruled the Pard law unconstitutional, supporting the Palestine Action Group and Blak Caucus. Derek Jones, known as "white shirt guy," said in May he intended to launch legal action against police over their conduct at the Herzog rally. He described the police actions as "completely unprovoked, unwarranted, excessive, crazy." The February protest is under investigation by a police watchdog after allegations of widespread brutality. Earlier this week, footage emerged of an officer boasting about punching a protester. The police commissioner said the language in the video was unacceptable but needed to be understood in context. Herzog was invited to Australia by the federal government following the antisemitic attack in Bondi, where 15 people were killed by two alleged Islamic State-inspired gunmen.