New Delhi : Thousands of Australians joined anti-immigration rallies across the country on Sunday, with promotional material for the demonstrations singling out Indian migrants, even as the government condemned the events as spreading hate and linked to neo-Nazis.
This isn’t a slight cultural change – it’s replacement plain and simple. Australia is not an economic zone to be exploited by international finance,” a message on one of the flyers read. A pre-event Facebook post carrying the promotional material also singled out Indians, whose numbers doubled from 2013 to 2023 to reach about 845,800, according to census data.
The March for Australia website says mass migration has “torn at the bonds that held our communities together”, while the group wrote on X that it wanted to do what mainstream politicians “never have the courage to do: demand an end to mass immigration”. In Sydney, between 5,000 and 8,000 people, many draped in national flags, assembled near the course of the city marathon.
A counter-rally by the Refugee Action Coalition, attended by hundreds, took place nearby. “Our event shows the depth of disgust and anger about the far-right agenda of March For Australia,” a coalition spokesperson said. Police said hundreds of officers were deployed across Sydney, and the operation ended without major incident.
In Melbourne, protesters gathered outside Flinders Street station with Australian flags and anti-immigration placards before marching to state parliament. A neo-Nazi figure, Thomas Sewell, addressed the rally, claiming “his men” had led the march and saying, “If we do not stop immigration, then our death is certain.”
Police clashed with counter-demonstrators, using pepper spray, baton rounds and public order munitions. Six people were arrested, and two officers were injured. Police estimated 5,000 people were involved in the Melbourne rally and counter-protests combined. In Canberra, a few hundred gathered at a lake facing Parliament House, while in Queensland, federal MP Bob Katter attended a rally in Townsville.
The Courier-Mail reported he was “swarmed with hundreds of supporters”, days after he had threatened a reporter for mentioning his Lebanese heritage during questions about his involvement. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Senator Malcolm Roberts also attended the Canberra rally.
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