Transgender Liberation protesters disrupt women’s rights rally in Melbourne

A women’s rights rally collapsed into chaos on Saturday after a counter Transgender Liberation protest showed up.

A women’s rights gathering collapsed into chaos on Saturday afternoon after some counter Transgender Liberation protesters swarmed the rally and threw eggs and water balloons at speakers.

The Women Will Speak rally, arguing against key assumptions underpinning the transgender movement, booked out the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne, with some 20 participants fronting up about 11am.

Victoria Police said another group of some 150 people attended the rally and threw the event into chaos, throwing eggs and water balloons at speakers.

“There were no injuries reported,” the police said.

The "Women Will Speak rally was disrupted by a counter rally at Melbourne’s Parliament House. Picture: NewsWire / Tamati Smith

Mounted police guarded the rally. Picture: NewsWire/Tamati Smith

“A 36-year-old Brunswick woman was arrested at the scene for allegedly assaulting police.

“She has been released pending further inquiries.

“Victoria Police is disappointed with the actions of the group and while it supports peaceful protests it has a zero-tolerance policy for violence or disruptive acts which impact the broader community.”

The Trans Queer Solidarity group posted a notice to the website of the Green Left advocating for a counter protest to the rally.

“Women’s Action Group founder, Michelle Uriaru, and her...ilk are planning a transphobic rally,” the notice states.

Police officers lead a protester away from the steps of Parliament House on Saturday. Picture: NewsWire / Tamati Smith

A woman was arrested at the rally for allegedly assaulted police. Picture: NewsWire/Tamati Smith

“Help our community drown out the hateful and regressive rhetoric.

“Fascists off our streets! Destroy carceral feminism! Trans liberation now!”

In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, from July 28, Ms Uriarau advertised the rally.

“Manipulating policy and social norms around the lie that men can be women, is dangerous for all of society,” the post states.

“It requires that women be erased, children are born in the wrong bodies and history be rewritten.”

Photos from the day show a heavy police presence, including mounted police.

A trans flag flies in the crowd. Picture: NewsWire/Tamati Smith

Signs from protesters read: “Queers bash back”, “any body can be any gender” and “make fascists afraid again”.

Another sign at the rally read: “fascist graves are gender neutral toilets”.

Other photos show the police leading masked protesters away from the rally and the police apprehending a person wearing a hoodie.

In another photo, protesters appear to push up against the police horses.

A transgender flag showing striped light pink, white and blue colours flew in the centre of the protest crowd.

Independent Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming, who was defenestrated from the Liberal Party room after attending a rally critical of transgender beliefs, reposted a photo of the “fascist graves are gender neutral toilets” sign to her X account in the late afternoon.

“I won’t hold my breath for (the Victorian government) “etc” to condemn the latest round of threats and vilification against women,” she wrote.

“(Women Will Speak) hope you are all OK.”

Originally published as Transgender Liberation protesters disrupt women’s rights rally in Melbourne