A silent protester crashes a live news cross outside the Sydney Opera House

AN SBS reporter has been applauded for the way he handled a “rude” protester during a live cross outside the Sydney Opera House.

There were more than 1000 protesters chanting “save our sails” and “it’s our house” in response to the controversial Racing NSW projections on the World Heritage listed building last night.

Among them was a woman wearing an outback Australia-looking hat with a cardboard cutout of the Opera House attached to one side — on it the words “Sack Alan Jones”.

Just before the sails were lit up at 7.39pm and seconds before journalist Omar Dabbagh went live for his SBS World News cross, the woman stood slightly behind him, flaunting one side of her creative hat that also read “BS responsibly”.

During the woman’s solo Alan Jones protest, Dabbagh was explaining what protesters against the horse race advertising planned to do.

“They say they are going to try and interfere and block the display with a light show of their own,” he said.

The woman still didn’t feel she was getting her point across, so she moved closer toward the reporter, standing on his left side. She continued to smile as she faced him directly, just inches away from his arm.

Dabbagh did what any good journalist would do and carried on like a professional before stopping mid sentence to calmly “excuse” the lady.

But that didn’t phase her. She just stared back, smiled some more and moved closer toward him.

Ironically, his next sentence coincided with what was unfolding right beside him.

“From multiple positions protesters are apparently …” Dabbagh then paused, turned to woman and said, “Excuse me, sorry thank you,” before smiling and carrying on with the live cross. “Apparently protesters are going to execute different plans of action, there’s talk of a light show of their own using projectors, mobile phones and torches.”

He then incorporated the woman’s unique protest into his report.

“While some just say they want their voices heard, in this case they want to be shown as well,” Dabbagh said.

When he wrapped up the report, the protester walked off with a woman who was eagerly waiting behind her.

Many have taken to social media to applaud the journalist on his handling of the situation including his co-worker and camerawoman Holly Thompson.

“How to handle an incredibly rude and inconsiderate member of the public like a pro,” she said in a Facebook post.

“We had been set up and ready for 30 minutes before we were on air with no problems, then just as we went live this woman stood right next to Omar, completely in his personal space while it was clear I wanted her to move.”

Thompson went on to say, “Most of us are in agreeance with you. Why make a complete a** of yourself, it does a disservice to your cause, and only shows you to have no respect for those around you.”

Another explained he would have been “so embarrassed if that was my mum” while another Facebook user said: “I saw it on SBS and Omar was a real professional.”

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