A Palestinian-Australian constituent of Anthony Albanese seeking visa help has been arrested and charged with trespassing, after she allegedly refused to leave the prime minister’s electorate office in the Sydney seat of Grayndler.

Sarah Shaweesh livestreamed her arrest on social media, saying she was a local constituent who lived in Marrickville, and the police had “threatened to arrest me because I went into the office to ask about my family’s declined visa applications”.

The president of the NSW Council for Civil Liberties, Lydia Shelly, said she was “very concerned” about the response by law enforcement in arresting Shaweesh.

“This is a peaceful protest which has now been ongoing for six months. There have been no incidents of violence or any concern which would give rise to the police behaving in such a way,” she said.

“We are incredibly disappointed with the prime minister and his office in the way they have handled this entire situation with the protesters outside his office. Members of the public have every right to meet with their representatives and that there has been a continued protest for six months is ultimately the result of the prime minister’s failure to meet with his constituents over their concerns.”

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