The New South Wales police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, ended a protest ban restricting marches in Sydney's CBD and eastern suburbs after Israeli President Isaac Herzog left Australia last week. The ban had been in place during Herzog's four-day visit, allowing police to restrict protests in certain areas for security reasons. This ban started after the Bondi beach terror attack when the Minns government rushed new laws granting police the power to restrict protests for up to 90 days after terror threats. Protest groups, including the Palestine Action Group, were blocked from marching, leading to tense rallies where police reportedly used pepper spray and kettling tactics. Lanyon said these protest tactics had "very little" influence on his decision to end the ban. Instead, the main reason for imposing it was Herzog’s presence and the need to protect him amid strong protests. "Certainly the visit of a head of state, there was significant animosity towards that head of state," Lanyon told reporters. "With Mr Herzog now leaving the country, I’m satisfied the conditions have changed such that we can resume managing public assemblies under the summary act." Last Saturday, the Minns government classified Herzog’s visit as a "major event," giving police extra powers like move-on and search powers in the same areas covered by the protest ban. Critics argue this limited protesters’ rights and made it harder to sue the state for police brutality. The Palestine Action Group challenged the major event status in court but lost. Lawyer Peter O’Brien plans to keep fighting for protesters like Jann Alhafny, who is suing after she was allegedly pushed violently by police during a protest, breaking her vertebra in four places. An independent police watchdog has launched an inquiry into how police handled the protests. Premier Chris Minns defended the police, saying protesters created an "impossible situation." However, government member Stephen Lawrence said the violence was "pretty much an inevitable consequence" of the protest restrictions. Lanyon said on Tuesday, "We tried everything we could to provide a route to the organisers that would have allowed a safe and peaceful protest... I think this is about starting to get the community back to what is normal."