Lawyer says video from Town Hall protest shows 'degrading' police treatment

New footage has emerged in court of what protesters allege was unlawful force by police at a Sydney rally against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Adam Adelpour and 15 other protesters are set to face trial next year on charges including assaulting police at the Town Hall demonstration on February 9.

The defence played dozens of videos in the local court on Friday to explain the relevance of certain documents police were avoiding giving the protesters.

Hours of footage was cut into a 32-minute compilation for the court by the defence and not all the clips showed the moments leading up to the clashes.

Solicitor Nick Hanna, representing some of the protesters, told the court the footage showed unlawful arrests and excessive force.

In multiple videos, police could be seen grabbing protesters by the head or neck as they brought them to the ground.

'They've had all day to pray'

The montage included different angles of police forcibly moving on a group of men performing the Muslim sunset prayer; a moment that went viral online.

Mr Hanna said the CCTV showed a police officer had made a false statement by claiming the worshippers started praying after being told to disperse.

"At some point before police start moving, you see that people are already praying,"

he said.

In police body-worn camera footage, protesters could be seen pleading with officers to allow the men to finish praying.

A female officer was heard saying, "They've had all day to pray", before officers began to break up the group.

In another clip, a male officer could be heard saying, "Try and walk him in the s**t", as his colleagues lead away a man in handcuffs.

Mr Hanna said it was presumably a reference to the horse faeces left on the ground that night by mounted police.

He said it constituted improper conduct because it was degrading and humiliating.

Request for ministerial messages

The defence team is trying to gain access to communications between senior officers and Premier Chris Minns, Police Minister Yasmin Catley, Sports Minister Steve Kamper and their staff.

Other documents it has sought to subpoena include standard operating procedures for things like the use of capsicum spray.

A NSW Police spokesperson said they were unable comment as the matter remained before the court.

Barrister Bradley Dean, acting for Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, argued against the release of the material.

"The subpoena is not an occasion for a fishing expedition," Mr Dean said.

On Monday, local court Judge Scott Nash ruled in favour of the protesters, agreeing the material had a "legitimate forensic purpose".

But whether all the documents will be released to the defence remains to be seen, with police also claiming public interest immunity over some categories.

Probe into 'directions police were given'

Outside court on Monday, Mr Hanna told the ABC the police were going to great lengths to stop the defence from getting the documents.

"We suspect [the police's arguments] will involve a suggestion that to release these documents would be to jeopardise police operations and to reveal secrets that the public shouldn't know," he said.

Mr Hanna said the alleged unlawful policing at the protest were not isolated acts carried out by individual officers.

He said the defence would argue it reflected a coordinated police response that was "likely from the top down".

"We have sought the communications between Minns and other ministers and the police to really find out what directions were the police given," Mr Hanna said.

He said the defence hoped more charges would be dropped after police withdrew almost half of about 30 prosecutions.

The matter is back in court on October 30, with trials expected to take place in July 2027.