Australia Day: Thousands rally in call for unity

Thousands of demonstrators took part in so-called ‘Invasion Day’ rallies across the country, defying COVID-19 health restrictions and the warnings of politicians.

Thousands of demonstrators took part in so-called “Invasion Day” rallies across the country, defying COVID-19 health restrictions and the warnings of politicians.

While the protests were largely peaceful, the event in Sydney was marred by clashes between police and protesters after the rally concluded, leading to several arrests.

However, the event was mostly incident-free, with thousands of socially distanced and masked protesters seeking shade at the seated rally in The Domain, after plans for a march through the city were cancelled at the last minute.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing characterised the demonstrations as co-operative and largely peaceful.

“I think that the protest organisers abided by the agreement and police facilitated as best they possibly could to ensure that people were in groups of less than 500 and socially distanced,” he said.

Set designer and yoga teacher Claudia Wilkinson, 27, said she had ­attended the protest in Sydney to support Indigenous people. She said even if the date was changed, she was unlikely to celebrate the day unless the change also acknowledged the trauma of the Indigenous people.

“I don’t support the white ­supremacy system. And if that’s what we’re celebrating, then the answer would definitely be no,” Ms Wilkinson said.

In response to recent opinion polling that suggested an overwhelming majority of Australians did not support changing the date, said she felt “embarrassed and shameful”.

She also said she didn’t know many people who felt differently than her.

NSW Police made four arrests after a brief scuffle erupted at a protest in Hyde Park, with one ­officer allegedly assaulted. Those arrested included a 27-year-old Newcastle woman and three men: a 30-year-old from Penrith, a 28-year-old from Wollongong and a 22-year-old from Katoomba.

A rally in Melbourne. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Police across other state capitals described the protests as being orderly and peaceful.

In Melbourne, a day of demonstrations began with a dawn service at the King’s Domain Resting Place at the edge of the city’s Botanical Gardens. Thousands of protesters then gathered at the state’s Parliament House with a strong police presence in place.

A statement from Victoria Police said: “No arrests were made at planned demonstrations … police were pleased with the behaviour of those that attended.

“Two males were detained for a short period in relation to breach of the peace and released without charge a short time later.”

An estimated 5000 people marched from King George’s Square in the Brisbane CBD to Musgrave Park at West End.

Black masks reading “abolish the date” were handed out to those in the crowd without a face covering, with most of the crowd complying with COVID-19 advice.

Harold “Ballzy” Chapman, who was at his third Australia Day protest in Brisbane, said the rallies around the country were about unity between all Australians.

“We just want change for the better because at the end of the day we’re all human beings who deserve to be treated equally,” Mr Chapman said. “We just want to make it better for our current and future generations so they don’t have to put up with the rubbish that we put up with and our ancestors put up with.

Tuesday’s event was the first large rally Kamilaroi woman Tahlia Brice, 23, had attended. “Today is an opportunity to stand up,” Ms Brice said. “It’s not just about abolishing the date; this is fighting for everything that has happened — fighting for rights, closing the gap for life expectancy, health, deaths in custody and the prison system.

“If this many thousands of people around the nation show up, then there’s obviously something that needs to be done.”

Shanna and Danika Martin, aged 26 and 22, said they were at the rally to “be on the right side of history”. “It’s not enough to just not celebrate, you have to do something,” Danika said.

In Adelaide, a crowd protested outside Parliament House.