Tens of thousands have marched in ‘freedom’ protests, amid push back on vaccine mandates

Thousands of Australians have joined ‘freedom’ rallies opposed to mandatory Covid vaccination and lockdowns, which were met with ‘anti-fascist’ counter protests.

‘Freedom rally’ protesters at the Victorian state parliament in Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Jason Edwards

Tens of thousands of people have joined “freedom” rallies across the country as a wave of opposition to mandatory Covid vaccination and lockdowns swept cities’ CBDs on Saturday, and were met with “anti-fascist’’ counter protests.

Some city streets in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide were brought to a standstill as thousands of protesters marched against vaccine mandates and health orders, brandishing signs with anti-government and Covid-19 conspiracy messages.

Demonstrations in Melbourne attracted thousands of supporters, coming off the back of a week of protests and sit-ins on the steps of parliament campaigning against the state’s proposed pandemic bill.

Protesters echoed cries of “sack Dan Andrews” and “kill the bill” and carried signs which said anti-vaccine slogans including “I do not consent” and “hands off our children”.

“This is not about the virus, this is about the government‘s total control of the people,” another sign said.

A protest in Sydney also attracted an estimated 10,000 supporters at its peak with activists marching from Hyde Park to Martin Place, in the largest Covid demonstration in the city since last winter.

Craig Kelly spoke to protesters in Sydney on Saturday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

United Australia Party federal MP Craig Kelly, formerly a Liberal MP, took to the stage at Martin Place to choruses of “Kelly, Kelly, Kelly” and applause.

“We are going to outlaw vaccine passports, we are going to bring in a bill of rights that will protect Australia’s freedoms,” he said.

“And we will hold every politician and bureaucrat responsible for forcing injections on the Australian population – we will hold them all responsible.”

Anti-fascist counter protesters took to the streets in Sydney and Melbourne protesting at the rise of the far right during the pandemic.

Hundreds of protesters in Brisbane converged on the Botanical Gardens, with some protesters making slurs and threats against Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

One speaker could be heard asking the crowd what they thought of Ms Palaszczuk, a question which was met by loud boos and a man’s cry of “hang the b**ch”.

Another protester brandished a sign with a colourful suggestion of where Ms Palaszczuk could stick a Covid-19 vaccine.

Protesters have also staged events in Adelaide, Cairns and Perth, among others.

The protests follow disturbing scenes in Melbourne this week where a gallows and noose was set up outside Victorian parliament.

Scott Morrison has been criticised for not condemning the protesters when he said that he had sympathy for Australians who have “had a gutful of governments telling them what to do”.

Mr Andrews accused Prime Minister Scott Morrison of “double speak” and pandering to extremists.