Tens of thousands of Australians marched on Sunday in what organisers billed as the country’s largest pro-Palestinian mobilisation to date, staging coordinated rallies in more than 40 cities and towns. Demonstrations brought central districts of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to a standstill, with Palestine Action Group putting the nationwide turnout at roughly 350,000. Police put the Brisbane crowd at about 10,000 and did not issue figures for other cities. Protesters carried Palestinian flags and banners demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, sanctions on Israel and an end to Australia’s arms trade with the country. The rallies were backed by more than 250 community organisations and trade unions, reflecting a widening domestic coalition behind calls for tougher action by Canberra. The day of action came two days after a UN-backed food-security assessment declared parts of Gaza in famine and less than a fortnight after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government said it would recognise Palestinian statehood in principle. Israel has criticised the policy shift, while Australian organisers said the pledge must be matched with concrete measures such as export controls on weapons components. Reuters reported that relations between the two governments have soured since the recognition announcement.