Thousands of Australians participated in anti-immigration rallies known as “March for Australia” in several major cities, including Sydney and Melbourne. Government officials condemned these events, linking them to far-right ideologies and accusing them of promoting hate. The gatherings resulted in clashes between participants and counter-demonstrators.
In Sydney, up to 8,000 individuals attended the rally, with police deploying hundreds of officers to monitor the situation, reporting no significant incidents. The Melbourne rally was marked by confrontations with attendees of a separate pro-Palestine demonstration. Notably, Thomas Sewell, identified as a neo-Nazi, spoke at the rally from the steps of Parliament House. In Adelaide, police estimated attendance at both a rally and a counter-demonstration to be around 15,000, characterizing the crowds as generally well-behaved.
A controversial placard at one rally showed support for Dezi Freeman, a conspiracy theorist accused of killing two police officers earlier in the week, prompting a large-scale manhunt for him. The events were backed by several opposition politicians and figures associated with the far-right and anti-lockdown initiatives that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The March for Australia website criticized current policies for eroding national unity and expressed concerns regarding various socio-economic issues linked to immigration. The Australian government publicly opposed the rallies, asserting that they were inconsistent with the country’s values. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasized that divisive actions are unwelcome in Australia, and Multicultural Affairs Minister Dr. Anne Aly reiterated the importance of standing united against intimidation of migrant communities.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czjmre371l1o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss