Thousands of Australians joined pro-Palestinian rallies, organisers say, amid strained relations between Israel and Australia following the centre-left government’s decision to recognise a Palestinian state, according to Reuters.

More than 40 protests have taken place across Australia today, Palestine Action Group said, including large turnouts in state capitals Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.

The group said around 350,000 attended the rallies nationwide, including around 50,000 in Brisbane, though police estimated the numbers there at closer to 10,000. Police did not have estimates for crowd sizes in Sydney and Melbourne.

In Sydney, organiser Josh Lees said Australians were out in force to “demand an end to this genocide in Gaza and to demand that our government sanction Israel” as rallygoers, many with Palestinian flags, chanted “free, free Palestine”.