Australians numbering thousands took part in anti-immigration marches held across large cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide on Sunday. The rallies, being carried out under the umbrella March for Australia, were characterized by organizers as an initiative to save “shared values” and national identity. The government, however, moved quickly to condemn the protests, warning that they were associated with far-right extremism and “the spread of hate.”
In Sydney, local ABC Australia reported that an estimated 8,000 persons gathered at Victoria Park, where hundreds of police officers were dispatched. Authorities confirmed there were “no significant incidents” despite the huge turnout.
Clashes in Melbourne and Adelaide
Tensions were more evident in Melbourne, where anti-immigration protesters fought with participants at a different pro-Palestine rally. Among the rally speakers was Thomas Sewell, a well-known neo-Nazi, who spoke to crowds from Parliament House steps.
In Adelaide, police estimated 15,000 attended the march and counter-demonstrations. Local reports said the rallies were “generally well-behaved,” though authorities had a significant presence.
Political Figures and Far-Right Connections
Some opposition politicians are among those who attended the rallies, such as One Nation senator Pauline Hanson and federal MP Bob Katter. They were also advertised by individuals associated with neo-Nazi organizations and past anti-lockdown activists who came to the fore during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A demonstrator was seen brandishing a placard in defense of Dezi Freeman, a conspiracy theorist who was suspected of murdering two police officers this week. Freeman is 56 years old and is currently the target of an extensive manhunt.
The March for Australia website asserts that “mass migration has torn at the bonds that held our communities together.” The group’s grievances range beyond immigration, listing pressures on housing, traffic, water supply, wages, hospitals, and crime as justification for mobilization.
Strong Government Response
The federal government condemned the rallies, stressing that hate-fueled movements are corrosive to national unity. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said: There is no room in our nation for individuals who want to divide and damage our social cohesion. We join with contemporary Australia against these rallies nothing less Australian.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Dr Anne Aly, also made a strong condemnation, “We stand with all Australians, wherever they were born, against those who would seek to split us apart. This form of far-right activism based on racism and ethnocentrism has no place in contemporary Australia.”
