State taxpayers and businesses are counting the cost of weekly pro-Palestine rallies, with the bill surpassing $25 million for policing local activities concerning the war in Gaza.

The independent Parliamentary Budget Office calculated the operational cost of Victoria Police's Operation Park, launched in 2023 after the October 7 attacks on Israel that escalated the conflict, at $10.2 million.

Another $14.9 million has been spent on police officer salaries from 23,928 dedicated shifts.

The wage costs would have been incurred regardless of whether a protest was held, the report noted.

The estimate did not capture indirect spending such as backfilling shifts at stations to cover officers sent to protests or costs related to broader operation activities, including prejudice‑related crime

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