On Sunday, August 31 (local time), anti-immigration rallies called the March for Australia (March for Australia) were held in several Australian cities, some of the activities sparked conflict, leading to police intervention in Melbourne, Adelaide and other places.
Melbourne
According to ABC and Reuters,The conflict scenes are the most chaotic in Melbourne. Anti-immigrant protesters in the city center accidentally encountered crowds supporting the Palestinian rally, and a fierce confrontation quickly broke out between the two sides. On Swanston Street near Flinders Street Station, hundreds of police officers lined up a human wall early to prevent two groups of people from coming into direct contact. But people on both sides avoided the police blockade and continued along other streets.
The video showed people throwing glass bottles and bottles crushing near the pro-Palestinian crowd. Police mobilized police horses and a large number of police forces to use pepper spray to control the scene to prevent the situation from expanding.
by Adelaide
The rally in Adelaide was also interrupted due to unexpected incidents. A man who claimed to be a member of the National Socialist Network stepped onto the podium and called for a stop to immigration, causing the situation to get out of control.
Organizers insisted they had not invited the man to speak and tried to stop him from speaking, only to be thwarted by some protesters, and shoving and brawling broke out at the scene. The police quickly intervened to quell the chaos and the rally ended in a hasty manner.
Local police said about 15,000 people were involved in the rally and anti-rally activities, and overall order remained, with three people arrested, including a 23-year-old suspected of attacking police, and two 32-year-olds for wearing cover-ups and refusing to provide identity information.
Sydney
Anti-immigration marches in Sydney swelled from Belmore Park to Victoria Park, with thousands chanting "Save Country, Stop Invasion" and signs reading "White Unity".Express opposition to "mass immigration."
A pro-Palestinian protest was also held in Hyde Park that day, and a woman was arrested by police on suspicion of disturbing public order. New South Wales police said the woman was suspected of shouting abusive remarks at the Palestinian Action Group.
Perth
The confrontation scene in Perth is also full of fire, with about 5,000 anti-immigration protesters and hundreds of anti-demonstrators at a distance.Shout to each otherA large number of police stood in the middle, barely allowing the crowd on both sides to maintain a safe distance
Counter-demonstrators chanted "Nazis stay off our streets," while anti-immigrant groupsReply to “Australia, Australia”The slogans are mixed with lies.
Opposition voice
Mark Aldridge, one of the organisers, said the purpose of the rally was not to oppose immigration per se, but to call for a moratorium on mass migration amid housing and resource constraints to allow for a national discussion, stressing that the event was "not about race".
On the Australian federal side, Cabinet member Amanda Rischworth said that Australia does not support such gatherings, reiterated that Australia is a multicultural society, and emphasized that "hatred has no place."
Shadow Attorney General Julian Lieser pointed to anti-Indian and anti-Semitic tendencies in some of the rally's promotional materials, alerting the public to the context of the participants.
In light of anti-immigrant rallies taking place across Australia today, the Australian Social Services Council, Australia's top community service body, has issued a statement condemning racism, hatred and discrimination.
"ACOSS respects the right to peaceful assembly, but we reject in the strongest terms all forms of racism, fascism, hate speech and prejudice," Chief Executive Cassandra Goldie said.
“Australian diversity is a great advantage rather than a threat, and today’s gatherings should not be a platform for dividing communities or spreading misinformation about migration and its impact.
"Our top priority is to safeguard the safety and well-being of all those who feel intimidated, harmed or targeted during today's events, and ACOSS expresses our love and solidarity to all those affected."