Australian flags set on fire during protest in Brisbane’s CBD
Protesters have set fire to Australian flags and said England and the monarchy should ‘f--king burn’ during a gathering in Brisbane’s CBD on the National Day of Mourning.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hundreds of protesters marked the Queen’s death public holiday by gathering in Brisbane’s CBD, marching through the streets, and burning Australian flags.
The demonstrations began just hours after hundreds of Australian leaders and politicians gathered at Parliament House in Canberra to mourn the Queen with a memorial service and minute of silence.
The protest started at the Queen Victoria statue at Queens Gardens on William Street and continued through to the Eagle Street Pier precinct, with one speaker offering a strong message to “colonising” England and the monarchy.
“Our message to England and the Monarchy is to f--king burn,” she proclaimed through a megaphone.
A male speaker said to the Eagle Street crowd, which had encircled him, that there was a war between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians sparked by the mass murders of Indigenous-Australians in the early days of Australia’s colonisation.
He said the war would continue until the people responsible were held accountable.
Seconds after making the claim, the man held a modern Australian flag aloft.
“This is their f**king flag, this is the f**king emblem of the British company that exploits the f**king world,” he yelled.
A flaming newspaper was then used to light the two flags.
A police spokeswoman said there had been no reports of any unruly behaviour and no action had to be taken.
The group then proceeded to march back the way they had come towards Queens Gardens chanting: “Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.”
On the group’s social media page, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, the group said they were calling for a ‘national day of action’ to tackle racism and Indigenous marginalisation.
“We are calling a national day of action on the newly announced public holiday on the 22nd of September,” they wrote.
“This is a demonstration against racist colonial imperialism. This is a stance against the continued crimes committed against marginalised First Nations, black, brown and Asian communities.”
“We do not support benefactors or Stolenwealth and demand justice, truth and accountability for all.”
Similar protests were held in Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.
Coffins in floodwaters a grave concern amid Brisbane cemetery expansion bid
The grim prospect of coffins surfacing and contaminates from decomposing bodies seeping into the water table during floods is being considered amid plans submitted by a Brisbane cemetery for what would be its biggest expansion in two decades.
‘Rest in peace, beautiful’: Family, friends pay tribute to Bribie shark attack victim
Family members and friends have gathered at the Bribie Island beach where a teenage girl was killed by a shark in front of shocked onlookers who have recounted the horror scenes.