Australia Day 2021: Sydney Invasion Day protesters arrested

Protesters who began marching after an Invasion Day rally in the Domain have been arrested as police attempted to disperse the crowd.

Four people have been arrested in connection with a breakaway protest following a huge “Invasion Day” rally in the city, but NSW Police have praised the behaviour of thousands who attended the main event in the Domain.

Two people will be issued fines for breaching COVID gathering rules, while two others are set to be charged - one for assaulting police and the other for hindering police.

An additional arrest was made ahead of the main protest going ahead.

Despite Police Minister David Elliott yesterday declaring anyone who attended the unauthorised “Invasion Day” protest could face fines and jail time, no-one was arrested during the organised rally.

Police arresting a protester at The Domain. Picture: Richard Dobson

Estimates on the size of the crowd at the organised “Invasion Day” rally varied, but authorities believed more than 3,000 people attended.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Willing said the majority of protestors were “very well behaved”.

“With the exception of those few at the end, they were compliant, they were socially distant, I thought they were very well behaved,” he said.

Mr Willing said organisers abided by an agreement that was struck between police and protestors “on the basis of public safety”.

“We were able to move a large number of people in and out of that area, let them talk about the issues at their heart, and then dissipate in a way which was as safe as possible,” he said.

A protester is restrained by a police officer duirng today’s rally. Picture: Richard Dobson

Police Minister David Elliott said he was pleased an agreement was reached for the event to go ahead safely.

That’s despite previously threatening that anyone who went could face fines or jail time.

“It is pleasing that the majority of protestors were able to cooperate with Police and come to an agreement that allowed these demonstrations to go ahead in a COVID safe way,” Mr Elliott said.

However it was “disappointing” that a number of people ignored police and breached COVID directions.

Thousands of Invasion Day protesters chanted the names of Indigenous people who have died in custody as scores of police moved to corral demonstrators into manageable groups.

Despite separating attendees into separate areas in the Domain, COVID crowd capacity of 500 people was clearly exceeded.

The mother of David Dungay Jr, who died in prison in 2015, said authorities have never been held accountable for his death.

Crowds gathered in the Domain this morning. Picture: Richard Dobson

Thousands of people attended the rally. Picture: Richard Dobson

“I want justice where the life of an Aboriginal man is worth something,” Leetona Dungay said.

Activists rallied the crowd with chants of “always was, always will be Aboriginal land” and “no justice, no peace, no racist police”.

“They say justice, we say murder,” activist and protest organiser Paul Silva chanted.

Aboriginal leader Aunt Shirley took aim at high profile Indigenous people she claimed had let her people down.

“We don’t want the Jacinta Prices, we don’t want the Warren Mundines and we certainly don’t want Noel Pearson,” she said.

Organisers and police reached an agreement shortly after 11am that there would be no March and attendees were asked to leave peacefully.

However a breakaway group of a few hundred people did march from the Domain into Hyde Park where police initially let them circle the park before stopping them on the park’s main boulevard about 11.45pm.

Rowdy protesters got in the face of officers trying to disperse the crowd and at least two were apprehended and led away by officers.

Organisers agreed with police not to march after the rally. Picture: Richard Dobson

Protesters were broken up into groups of 500. Picture: Richard Dobson

However one activist raised the idea of a march while speeches were ongoing.

“I want to have a quick yarn about the march we’re about to take,” activist Nessa Turnbull-Brown said.

“I’m seeing a lot of blue around here … if you are next to a First Nations sister or brother and you are a white in this space or you are a visitor to this country, that you look after your sister or brother … that you have your cameras ready.

Organisers encouraged attendees to sign in with a QR code and sanitise. Picture: Richard Dobson

Demonstrators sat distanced on the grass. Picture: Richard Dobson

“In this country we have an authority and a police force that abuses their power.”

Following the speech police were assured by one organiser that no march would take place.

Organisers wrote to Health Minister Brad Hazzard last week seeking an exemption to allow up to 3,000 people to attend.

“We note that regional gatherings can be up to 3,000 people and based on numbers estimated to date submit that (3,000 people) would be a reasonable adjustment to the (Public Health) Order if amendments are being considered,” the letter sent last week states.

Alternatively they said “a limit of 3,000 people would be a reasonable condition of any exemption granted”.

PM: ‘OUR GREATEST STORY IS INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA’

The Prime Minister has described the story of Indigenous Australia as “one of the greatest.”

Scott Morrison said the world’s oldest living culture helped make the country the “most successful immigration” nation in the world.

“One of the greatest overcomers of all of our people has been our First Nations people that have had to overcome this position and they’ve had to overcome colonisation, they are a thriving surviving community,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“The world’s oldest living culture. Now I think this story of overcoming is one of, if not the greatest, Australian stories.

Protesters during the 2020 Invasion Day rally in Brisbane. Picture: AAP/Darren England

“It is one that we can all combine together and acknowledge that whether it’s our first nations people, or the convicts, or the settlers that came or many that have since come and made us the most successful immigration country in the world.”

PREMIER: JANUARY 26 A ‘DAY OF PAIN’

NSW Gladys Berejiklian has acknowledged January 26 is “a day of pain” for Indigenous Australians, as the nation remains divided over whether the date of Australia Day should change.

Speaking at the Wugulora Morning Ceremony at Barangaroo in Sydney on Tuesday, Ms Berejiklian started her address by declaring Australia Day was an “annual opportunity to celebrate the values which make Australia one of the best places on earth.”

But a day after rejecting the idea of moving Australia Day away from January 26, Ms Berejiklian paid tribute to the suffering of Indigenous Australians.

“As we come here to acknowledge and celebrate these freedoms, we must also recognise as a mature and decent nation that today is a day that causes pain for some of our First Nations people,” she said.

“We cannot, and should never, deny any aspect of our history or the key milestones that have made us the nation we are today.

“As we raise the Aboriginal flag alongside the flag of Australia, it renews hope that each passing Australia Day brings us closer to being truly one mob.

“Accepting and embracing what unifies us but also causes ongoing tension and pain is part of our evolution as a nation. Nations are always evolving and progressing. Australia is no different. We still have work to do.”

Originally published as Australia Day 2021: Sydney Invasion Day protesters arrested