Violent clashes, arrests at anti-immigration rallies
Tens of thousands of nationalists, dozens of dogs and at least one flag-draped horse turned out for Sunday’s March For Australia rallies across the nation.
Source: AAP
Racism and extremism at anti-immigration rallies across Australia have been condemned after a score of arrests following violent clashes.
Tens of thousands of nationalists, dozens of dogs and at least one horse draped in Australian flags and paraphernalia turned out for Sunday’s March For Australia rallies in major cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
Speakers and attendees were at pains to state they were not against immigrants but wanted less migration.
Protesters in the March for Australia anti-immigration rally in Sydney. Photo: AAP
However, rhetoric crossed into racism and xenophobia and became conspiratorial for some. One speaker in Sydney spouted a theory about “a clear global agenda to shame, beat down and replace people with Anglo-Celtic and European heritage”.
NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick called for a five-year immigration moratorium while another speaker spouted a conspiracy theory that there was “a clear global agenda to shame, beat down and replace people with Anglo-Celtic and European heritage”.
Prominent neo-Nazis also spoke in Sydney, while National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell spoke in Melbourne.
He addressed a mostly male crowd of thousands that congregated outside Flinders Street Station before marching through the city.
A row of young men in uniformed black jackets and pants stood together, with one wearing a shirt marked with the words “f— off we’re full”.
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March for Australia rally in Sydney. Photo: AAP
The Australian Council of Social Services condemned hatred, fascism and violence and said it stood with all affected communities.
CEO Cassandra Goldie said the rallies should not provide people a platform “to divide communities or spread misinformation about migration and its impacts”.
“Australia’s diversity is a great strength, not a threat,” she said.
NSW Police estimated 15,000 people at the Sydney rally.
They said there were no significant incidents or injuries after hundreds of officers were deployed across the city to cover multiple events, including the Sydney Marathon.
Officers removed one woman for allegedly breaching the peace in Sydney’s Hyde Park.
NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Scott Tanner said he was happy with the crowd’s behaviour, with everyone following instructions.
It was a different story in Melbourne, where violence erupted between competing rallies. Officers used pepper spray to break up clashes between anti-immigration marchers and anti-fascist and pro-Palestine protesters.
Victoria Police said six people were arrested and face charges of assaulting police, behaving in a riotous manner, attempted robbery, assault and resisting police.
Two officers were injured after being struck by bottles thrown at them.
Victoria Police estimated the crowd size at 5000.
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State Police Minister Anthony Carbines described the anti-immigration marches as “grubby and hateful” and warned people who broke the law would be dealt with by authorities.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson at Canberra’s rally. Photo: AAP
Crowds also gathered in Brisbane and Townsville, where renegade MP Bob Katter and state Katter’s Australia Party MPs Robbie Katter and Nick Dametto joined the march.
In Brisbane, one man was arrested and charged with assaulting police while another man was detained for breaching the peace.
Queensland Police said about 6000 protesters attended the Brisbane rally.
Far-right firebrand Pauline Hanson spoke to hundreds at a rally outside Parliament House in Canberra, calling for reduced migration and more Australian pride.
“If you don’t love it, I’ll be the first one to take you to the airport and put you on a plane,” the One Nation leader told the crowd.
Hanson’s speech then pivoted into a soliloquy that denied climate change and decried Indigenous Welcome to Country ceremonies and a “woke agenda” she claimed was being forced on children in schools.
One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts also addressed the ACT crowd, which included a man on horseback, saying mass migration had made people “feel the death of Australian identity”.
More than 100 Canberrans took aim at fascism and racism, chanting “f–k off Nazis, f–k off”, “go home white trash” and “immigrants are welcome here” as people congregated at Commonwealth Park before marching to Parliament House.
The anti-immigration rally on the lawns of Parliament House. Photo: Mike Bowers
Cabinet minister Murray Watt said he “absolutely condemned” the anti-migrant rallies.
“The fact that this is being organised and promoted by neo-Nazi groups tells us everything we need to know about the level of hatred and division that these kind of rallies are about,” he said.
Liberal senator James Paterson, who has long championed strict migration laws, said many Australians held sincere views on the topic but warned neo-Nazis would be present at the rallies.
He expressed concern about targeting multicultural communities, including Indian Australians, labelling it shameful and wrong.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley urged people not to let hatred and fear tear at the country’s social cohesion.
-with AAP
