NSW police union pushes back at premier’s suggestion pro-Palestine protests divert resources from crime

Police association boss says vast majority of officers at weekend rally were doing user-pay or cancelled rest day' shifts

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The head of the New South Wales police union has denied any suggestion that patrolling weekly pro-Palestine protests is making it difficult to respond to or investigate crime across the state.

Kevin Morton's comments came as the premier, Chris Minns, was forced to deny he had lost control of the Labor caucus after several of his MPs expressed alarm at his statement that police should be able to reject a protest permit based on the cost of patrolling it.

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