A NSW police officer has been recorded on his own body-worn camera saying he punched a man in the head “while he was down” during a protest in Sydney’s CBD.
The footage, which has circulated online, appears to show a group of officers walking along George Street near the Haymarket Hotel on February 9, during demonstrations against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
As protesters move alongside the officers, the male officer wearing the camera is heard saying: “I f**king pumped that c*nt.”
A female officer responds: “Oh, it was you? So funny.” The man then says: “Yeah, yeah, and then I punched him in the head when he was down.” The female officer laughs and replies: “Oh I know, I saw that.”
The short clip has reportedly attracted more than 6,000 likes on Instagram and been reposted more than 1,600 times.
NSW Police and Police Minister Yasmin Catley have declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC).
Police conduct under investigation
The LECC launched Operation Makalu after receiving complaints about the police response at Sydney Town Hall and surrounding streets. The watchdog is examining whether the conduct of NSW Police and individual officers was lawful and appropriate, and has powers to obtain footage, records and other evidence.
The commission said it had been reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV and body-worn video and planned to begin witness interviews. It also confirmed that some public examinations would begin no earlier than September 2026, with a final report to be provided to the NSW Parliament. ([lecc.nsw.gov.au](https://www.lecc.nsw.gov.au/publications/lecc-investigation-into-the-police-operation-at-the-sydney-town-hall-protest-on-9-february-2026/faqs-lecc-investigation-operation-makalu/?utm_source=openai))
The NSW Government had declared President Herzog’s visit a major event, giving police additional powers to direct people to move on, close locations and issue directions aimed at preventing disruption or threats to public safety. The government said at the time that the measures were not a ban on protest and that police would use the powers carefully and proportionately. ([nsw.gov.au](https://www.nsw.gov.au/ministerial-releases/nsw-government-calls-for-calm-and-respect-during-israeli-presidents-visit?utm_source=openai))
Greens MP Sue Higginson described the footage as “appalling” and said she had contacted Ms Catley to request the officer’s immediate dismissal.
“I was there that night. I interacted with police, I witnessed things I wish I had never had to witness,” she said.
Ms Higginson alleged the behaviour shown in the video was not an isolated incident and accused the Minns government of contributing to hostility towards pro-Palestinian protesters through repeated attempts to restrict demonstrations.
“Unfortunately, that really was the tenor of a number of police officers, and in my view, it represents the level of impunity and hatred that many officers brought to that operation that night at Town Hall,” she said.
The February protest followed mass demonstrations over Mr Herzog’s visit. The Israeli president has faced criticism over remarks about civilians in Gaza, which Amnesty International and an independent United Nations commission have said amounted to incitement to genocide.
Premier Chris Minns previously defended the police response, saying officers had been placed in “an impossible situation”. His office has been contacted for comment on the newly circulated bodycam footage.
