Anti-immigration protests LIVE updates: Protester at March for Australia rally makes extraordinary confession about why he attended the demonstration – as wild brawls erupt on the streets

National Socialist Network member Jack Eltis has given some insight into the group when questioned by a reporter at the Sydney rally.

‘Yeah, we’re racist. We’re proud of who we are as white men,’ he said.

‘We built this nation. Our ancestors built this land for us, and we’re proud of that.

‘We’re proud of our racial identity.’

Several members of the NSN, dressed in black, conducted their own march down City Road as the ‘March for Australia’ protest held at Victoria Park wound down on Sunday evening.

When Eltis was directly asked if the group were ‘neo-Nazis’ he replied ‘yes’.

The group was flanked by uniformed police officers, who appeared at one point to direct them down a side street where the group changed out of their black clothes into streetwear.

NSN’s most prominent member, Thomas Sewell, earlier appeared at the Melbourne rally, where he gave a speech to the crowd.

Terrifying footage has emerged of a brawl breaking out between demonstrators in Melbourne.

March for Australia and Pro-Palestine protesters clashed at the Bourke Street and Swanston Street intersection.

One woman is understood to have been thrown to the ground while several demonstrators were seen throwing punches at each other.

National Socialist Network leader Thomas Sewell was flanked by black-clad supporters as he delivered a speech outside Victoria’s state parliament.

March for Australia organisers have previously denied any connection to white supremacists.

‘If we do not stop immigration, then our death is certain,’ Mr Sewell said.

A placard of accused cop killer Dezi Freeman has been spotted at the anti-immigration rally in Adelaide.

Freeman is currently on the run after allegedly shooting dead two police officers at Porepunkah, regional Victoria, on Tuesday.

References to Freeman appear to be common at the rallies.

In Sydney, a demonstrator was seen wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Free Dezi’ before he was hauled away by cops.

As the protests around the country wind down, a clearer picture of arrests has emerged.

In Sydney, one woman was arrested in Hyde Park for allegedly breaching the peace and was taken to Day Street Police Station.

In Melbourne, six people were arrested and two police officers were injured.

Another three were arrested in Perth.

Police are expected to lay more charges as footage of the rallies is reviewed.

Embattled MP Bob Katter appeared at a rally in Townsville, North Queensland.

Katter made his way into headlines last week after threatening a Channel Nine journalist for asking about his Lebanese heritage.

Katter referenced the incident on Sunday, saying: ‘On that subject, when someone started trying to divide us up into where you came from, I got very mad and a lot of people criticised me.

‘But when I got off the aeroplane today everyone was cheering and clapping and waiving their flags.’

Read more about the situation below

Footage captured a public speaker addressing the anti-immigration protestors.

He blamed immigration for contributing to the ‘exctinctin of white people’ and a decline in ‘living standards’.

‘They’re here to take everything you have at your expense,’ he said.

‘India is home for Indians, Africa is home for Africans, Australia is home for Australians.’

The crowd then echoed the public speaker’s chant: ‘Hail, Australia.’

A scuffle broke out at an anti-immigration rally in Canberra with demonstrators spotted restraining a counter protestor.

Sydney business owners have shut up shop and stopped trading while the anti-immigration rally unfolds.

One made it very clear how they felt about the demonstration with a very pointed sign.

Victoria Police were forced to use pepper spray as demonstrations turned out of control.

Protestors were sprayed on Collin and Russell streets, forcing them to disperse.

Victorian police minister Anthony Carbines labelled anti-immigration protestors ‘unhinged grubs’.

‘They’re just grubs, absolute grubs, and we know what they’re there for: to promote hate in the community, to blame people for their gripes and their complaints and their whinges,’ he said.

‘They can march up and down all they like, their views are of no consequence to this government.

‘We will do everything we can to wrap our arms around those who feel vulnerable and upset at this time and make sure that they get the support that they need.’

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson made an appearance at the March for Australia rally in Canberra.

Hanson had previously voiced her support for the demonstration, which has been organised to rally against mass migration.

One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts addressed the crowd as well.

Anti-immigration rallies have already begun to spiral with flags on wooden poles being used to attack demonstrators at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne.

Several signs condemning Anthony Albanese have also been spotted.

‘I love my country but I’m ashamed of my government’, one read.

Another said: ‘Albo is killing us!’

Counter protestors were seen setting fire to an Australian flag outside Town Hall.

Demonstrators were heard chanting: ‘All Nazis are terrorists.’

Counter protestors had demanded mounted police to ‘get those animals off those horses’.

‘Cops and the Klan go hand in hand,’ was another chant.

Protests appeared more tame in Sydney, however anti-government sentiment was just as strong with demonstrators chanting, ‘Albo must go’.

Politicians have united to condemn the anti-immigration rallies happening around Australia today.

‘I think the vast majority of the Australians think that multiculturalism has been a good thing for our country.

‘We don’t support rallies like this that are about spreading hate and that are about dividing our community.

‘I sincerely hope that there’s no trouble that arises from these events today, but the fact that this is being organised and promoted by neo-Nazi groups tells us everything we need to know about the level of hatred and division that these kind of rallies are about.’

Senior opposition senator James Paterson

‘And I’m also concerned, as Murray Watt alluded to in his answer, that there will be neo-Nazis present at the rally today, that they’ll seek to use it as an opportunity to recruit.

‘I’m sure there will also be Australians who are not Neo Nazis there today, who are sincere in their concerns, but I would encourage Australians to avoid protests where it’s likely that Neo Nazis are going to be present.

‘I don’t think that much alongside Neo Nazis is conducive to social cohesion in this country.’

Federal opposition leader Sussan Ley

‘There is no place for violence, racism or intimidation.

‘Whether incited from afar or stirred up here, we cannot let hatred and fear tear at our social cohesion.

‘It (Australia) belongs to all of us, and what unites us will always be stronger than what seeks to divide us.’

Organisers of the March for Australia rallies have fired back at the Albanese government’s claims of racism, and have vowed protests will remain peaceful unless counter-protesters show up and cause violence.

The Albanese government has declared there is no place for hate in Australia.

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Saturday called for calm and respectful behaviour ahead of the mass protests.

‘In Australia, we protect the right to an opinion and the right to protest. But that must be done peacefully and respectfully. There is no place for violence, racism or intimidation,’ she said.

‘Whether incited from afar or stirred up here, we cannot let hatred and fear tear at our social cohesion.

‘Strong borders keep us safe, but they also allow us to be generous and compassionate to those fleeing conflict.

‘That is the Australian story. Respect, tolerance, community. It belongs to all of us, and what unites us will always be stronger than what seeks to divide us.’

Cops have shared a worrying warning that violent scenes could break out at several of the anti-immigration rallies planned across Australia.

Victoria Police said demonstrators ‘who hold far-right ideologies and extreme views are likely to attend the March for Australia’, while ‘groups with opposing views are planning on attending specifically to confront the other protest’.

The police force has vowed to throw everything it has at the protests, with the riot squad to be deployed.

Officers will also have the power to search people for weapons in the CBD and order demonstrators to remove their face coverings.

NSW Police will be deploying 1,000 officers to patrol the city and ensure public safety.