'This has to stop': Thousands defy COVID-19 warnings to march for black lives

Tens of thousands of anti-racism protesters defied COVID-19 health warnings and their state and federal governments, as they took to the streets of Melbourne, Sydney and other cities on Saturday for Black Lives Matter rallies.

A massive crowd flocked to State Parliament on Spring Street to join the global wave of protests sparked by the killing of African American man George Floyd by police officers in the US city of Minneapolis on May 25.

The demonstration was by far the largest gathering of people in the state since the beginning of social distancing in March to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus and health experts are worried, with Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton issuing a last-minute warning for people to stay away to protect their health.

Event organisers were happy with the numbers and the peaceful nature of the protest, but they still each face a $1652 fine from Victoria Police for organising a gathering in breach of public health orders.

The protesters, nearly all wearing masks and demanding an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody, gathered at State Parliament at 2pm to listen to Indigenous speakers who said outrage over a police officer's suffocation of Mr Floyd over nearly nine minutes had finally put the spotlight on what they called Australia's own systemic racism.

The crowd then marched through the city to Flinders Street Station for more speeches before dispersing peacefully at about 5pm.

Protesters outside Flinders Street Station.Credit: Chris Hopkins

In Sydney, where the NSW government obtained a court order banning the march that was overturned in a last-minute appeal, about 10,000 people surged through the city's CBD. In Brisbane, another 10,000 protesters gathered, while 5000 marched through Adelaide.

The Melbourne event, which passed without any arrests amid a heavy police presence, came after Victorian health authorities reported no new infections of COVID-19 overnight, the first day of zero new cases recorded in the state since March 5.

Professor Sutton welcomed the news but warned people in Melbourne's north and west, where most of the state's recent new cases have been found, to be especially vigilant.

"This indicates there is on-going community transmission in these areas, although it appears to be at low levels," he said.

Professor Sutton's message, issued as the rally in the CBD got under way, also urged people to stay away from the event.

"I know there are many people wanting to protest in person this weekend and show their support," he said.

"Unfortunately now is not the time for thousands of people to gather together, putting yours and others' health at risk."

The Australian protests also defied warnings from Australia's Chief Medical Officer Dr Brendan Murphy who said he was worried about the large number of Indigenous Australians attending the events and the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak in a First Nations community.

The Black Lives Matter rally Melbourne.Credit: Joe Armao

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said he was pleased with the crowd's peaceful behaviour, but he was worried that people had gathered in such large numbers in breach of the State of Emergency rules and in defiance of warnings to stay away.

"While the Black Lives Matter protest was held in breach of the Chief Health Officer directions, police were generally pleased with the behaviour of those who came into the city to protest," he said.

"We remain concerned that such a large gathering has occurred without regard for the need to maintain social distance and will now consider what action should be taken in relation to the organisation and conduct of this unlawful gathering."

Protesters in Melbourne.Credit: Chris Hopkins

The senior officer said police were not aware of any acts of violence or vandalism but that "police will continue to investigate the events of today to determine whether any further follow up enforcement activity is required".

Most of the speeches focused on the 432 Aboriginal deaths in custody in the three decades since the 1991 findings of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Indigenous protesters do a traditional dance on Bourke Street.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance organised the protest, with one member of the group, Meriki Onus, a Gunnai and Gunditjmara woman, thanking the crowd for their attendance.

"We pulled this together in five days," she said.

Among those out on Melbourne's streets was 70-year-old Aunty Shirley Blackwood – a member of the Stolen Generation taken from her parents as a three-year-old – who described the rally as "the best one ever".

The issue of Aboriginal deaths in custody is close to home for Aunty Shirley.

Her cousin was Tanya Day, the Yorta Yorta woman who died after falling and striking her head in a police cell in 2017 after being taken from a train intoxicated at Castlemaine in central Victoria.

Ms Day was arrested for public drunkenness, an offence that is soon to be abolished in Victoria.

"That was disgusting how they just threw her in jail," she said.

She said ongoing deaths in custody in Australia was intolerable.

"This has got to stop, you've got to respect us," she said.