A COALITION of anti-war, peace, anti-nuclear and pro-Palestine groups gathered outside the US Consulate in Perth Thursday morning, condemning American foreign policy in the Middle East and calling for an end to what they say is a path of global destruction.

Protesters converged at 8.15am on St Georges Terrace, carrying signs and chanting in opposition to recent US military actions, its support for Israel, and growing international defence budgets.

Leonie Lundy, one of the protest organisers, said the demonstration was a response to the “US self-agenda and interference in the Middle East”, which she labelled “unacceptable”, alongside “Trump’s ego and lies”.

• A strong police presence kept an eye on the protestors.

“The US continues to give moral, financial and weapons support to Israel – aiding the genocide of the Palestinian people, the unconscionable mass killing of children, health workers and journalists,” she said.

The protest comes in the wake of a controversial US airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which Ms Lundy described as both “reckless and illegal”.

“Last Sunday, at an astronomical cost, the US recklessly and illegally bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities,” she said. 

“Trump deceived the public claiming Iran’s nuclear weapons potential had been decimated – irrespective of Iran reportedly not wanting nuclear weapons and ironically in the face of the US and Israel being nuclear armed states.”

Ms Lundy said many in the community are alarmed by the increasing militarisation of aid efforts in Gaza, where she says the US and Israel have “co-opted the aid distribution” and caused “ongoing mass starvation, thirst, militarisation and murders of those seeking food, and physical and mental health problems – beyond description”.

There are fears Australia may follow the lead of other US allies and ramp up its military spending.

“There are concerns Australia will be bullied into increasing defence expenditure (as have other countries),” Ms Lundy said.

Despite the early start, the demonstration drew a passionate crowd of campaigners demanding a shift away from militarism and interventionism.

“Community opposition is gathering momentum. People are angry,” Ms Lundy said. “For the sake of humanity and the planet this war path must be braked.”