New body-worn-camera footage has emerged from a 9 February 2026 protest at Sydney Town Hall, showing an NSW Police officer apparently boasting about punching a protester who was on the ground. The footage has triggered renewed questions about police conduct during the protest.

The protest was held during a visit to Sydney by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. A number of protesters were charged following the demonstration. The Guardian reports that NSW Police have since withdrawn charges against four of the 30 protesters originally charged.

The newly surfaced footage has become significant because it provides another piece of evidence for an existing investigation into alleged police conduct at the protest. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) launched Operation Makalu in February to investigate allegations of police brutality connected with the event.

On Tuesday, NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson referred the newly released footage to the LECC, arguing that it should be considered as part of the investigation. NSW Police confirmed they were aware of the footage but said they could not comment because the LECC investigation remains ongoing.

The footage relates to a protester who had previously been charged with assaulting police. According to the report, those charges were among several subsequently withdrawn. The legal position surrounding the original protest charges is separate from the allegations concerning police conduct.

The incident has also raised broader questions about the policing of the February protest. The NSW government had previously defended police actions at the demonstration and urged the public to consider the broader context surrounding footage circulating online.

In April 2026, the NSW Court of Appeal ruled that the public-assembly restriction law used during the protest was unconstitutional. That ruling has become part of the wider debate surrounding the February demonstration and the subsequent prosecutions.

The latest footage does not itself establish criminal guilt by the officer. The conduct is subject to investigation, and the LECC remains responsible for examining the circumstances and determining whether further action is warranted.