Thousands of people across Australia and from across the political spectrum rallied on Saturday, marching through the streets of capital cities.
Groups protesting for Indigenous sovereignty marched through city streets voicing their opposition to racism and anti-immigration views.
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At the same time, a collection of groups holding various anti-government and anti-immigration views formed their own protests in capital cities, with demonstrators draped in Australian flags.
The planned rallies saw the deployment of heavy police lines in many cities, with authorities separating groups of protesters in Melbourne.
Protest groups were kept well separated by police in Melbourne’s CBD. (ABC News)
The protests come amidst elevated tensions internationally, following the assassination of prominent US conservative Charlie Kirk.
In several cities, protesters brought signs and shirts bearing Mr Kirk’s name, while in Adelaide and Perth protesters held moments of silence in tribute.
Several protesters in Brisbane wore shirts or carried signs paying tribute to Charlie Kirk. (ABC News)
Victoria
In Melbourne, an Indigenous Sovereignty protest saw demonstrators draped in Aboriginal and Palestinian flags gather at Flinders Street Station in the CBD.
Anti-racism protesters attended the Flinders Street Station rally. (ABC News: Emilia Terzon)
Organisers said the event was held in response to the violent attack on a First Nations camp in Kings Domain almost two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, on the steps of Parliament House, demonstrators with a range of right-wing views gave speeches, featuring claims of government corruption and anti-renewable energy stances.
One speaker called for justice for fugitive alleged gunman Dezi Freeman, who remains on the run after being accused of shooting two police officers.
Speakers covered a broad range of far-right talking points at the Melbourne protest on Spring Street. (ABC News)
Violent clashes at Melbourne protests in recent weeks have led to a number of arrests, with Victoria Police ramping up their powers in anticipation of potential violence.
Police declared a section of the city a designated area on Saturday, giving them greater powers to search people for weapons and demand protesters remove face coverings.
Mounted police formed a line to separate protesters in Melbourne’s CBD. (ABC News: Jason Katsaras)
As the Indigenous Sovereignty protest marched through the city towards parliament, police created a cordon separating the two groups.
Police briefly clashed with Indigenous Sovereignty protesters in the CBD following the rallies, with officers rushing to move some of the demonstrators on after one individual was allegedly capsicum-sprayed.
New South Wales
About 3,000 people marched through Sydney’s CBD as part of an Australia Unites Against Government Corruption rally, organised by several splinter groups.
A large police presence monitored the rally, which saw several busy streets closed between Town Hall and Sydney’s Hyde Park.
Protesters brought signs and waved flags at the Sydney rally. (ABC News)
The crowd, many flying the Australian national flag, regathered at Hyde Park to listen to a raft of speakers who have expressed a range of agendas.
Those topics have included anti-vaccination, anti-immigration, anti-digital ID, anti-cashless society, and other sovereign citizen sentiments.
Organisers initially planned for the march to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but that was dropped and the route was altered following a Supreme Court challenge by NSW Police last week.
Separately, a crowd of about 1,000 people participated in a rally to protest against racism, fascism and Neo-Nazis organised by The Black Caucus, a First Nations group.
The rally organised by The Black Caucus saw traditional dances performed. (ABC News: Tony Ibrahim)
The rally voiced its dissent to recent anti-immigration rallies and condemned the recent attack on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne.
Carrying banners, signs and wearing clothing with slogans, attendees listened to speeches and watched traditional dances.
Rising tensions in the political climate drew concern from NSW Premier Chris Minns, who said he was wary of “political opinion turning into political hate”.
Chris Minns says the government remains wary regarding the potential growth of political violence. (AAP: Dean Lewins)
Mr Minns said political violence was “the last thing we need in New South Wales”.
“As a civic leader, and as the leader of the state, I’m going to do everything I can with the NSW Police that if anyone crosses that line and their opinion jumps from just an opinion into forcing someone to believe it, or trying to assault someone because they don’t believe it, we’re going to throw the book at you,” he said.
Queensland
About 1,500 people gathered amidst rainy weather at separate rallies in Brisbane’s city centre.
Around 1,000 protesters, many of them draped in Australian flags, joined the Australia Unites Against Government Corruption Rally at the City Botanic Gardens.
Australian flags were prominent at the gathering at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens. (ABC News)
About 500 people gathered at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane to continue voicing their opposition to racism and all forms of discrimination in Australia.
An Indigenous Sovereignty Rally began around lunchtime in King George Square, with speeches highlighting the plight of First Nations people.
About 500 people attended an anti-racism rally in South Brisbane. (ABC News)
South Australia
Several hundred people gathered at Victoria Square in Adelaide’s CBD on Saturday morning to protest against racism.
The event started with a traditional smoking ceremony and saw people waving flags and signs, including one that said “stand for Camp Sovereignty” in reference to the Melbourne incident almost two weeks ago.
One of the organisers, Joshua Weetra, said multiculturalism and diversity were at the core of modern Australia.
A smoking ceremony was held at a rally in Adelaide. (ABC News: Peta Doherty)
A bigger crowd of hundreds also marched along North Terrace for an Australia Unites Against Government Corruption rally, singing songs like Waltzing Matilda and calling for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to resign.
A minute’s silence was held to mark the death of Charlie Kirk.
People marched in Adelaide for an Australia Unites Against Government Corruption rally. (ABC News: Peta Doherty)
Organiser Mark Aldridge said he was pleased to see a peaceful rally and said neo-Nazis were not welcome at the Adelaide event.
“A lot of people have issues with what’s wrong with the country and I think it really is, if you look at the mass immigration issue, it really comes back to people [who have] got trouble with housing, they got trouble meeting their bills, they got trouble feeding their families — and that has to stop. We need better governance,” he said.
Tasmania
About 300 people gathered on the lawns opposite Hobart’s Parliament House for an Indigenous Sovereignty rally, with many carrying Aboriginal flags and banners.
Calls for the Neo-Nazi National Socialist Network to be listed as a terrorist organisation were met with passionate cheers.
Hundreds attended the Indigenous Sovereignty rally on Hobart’s Parliament Lawns. (ABC News: Glenn Dickson)
Palawa man Cody Gangell-Smith delivered one of the opening addresses, in which he condemned the recent attack on a First Nations camp in Melbourne.
“We are gathered here today because of the horrendous act of racist violence and racism against Aboriginal people at a sacred burial site in Naarm,” he said.
“The charges [laid against the alleged offenders] … are not enough. This was terrorism, plain and simple.
“The National Socialist Network must be formally listed as a terrorist organisation.
The Hobart rally called out racist violence and racism against Aboriginal people. (ABC News: Monty Jacka)
“This is not a time for leniency. Australia must take a hard stance against the rise of fascism and Neo-Nazism.”
Other speakers at the Hobart event included pro-Palestine representatives and Aboriginal elders.
Western Australia
In Perth, around 500 people came together at the Supreme Court Gardens, many holding Australian flags and anti-immigration signs.
Free speech, anti-government sentiment and anti-vaccination messaging were all topics discussed by speakers at the rally.
Those rallying in Perth’s CBD did so under blue skies. (ABC News: Jessica Rendall)
A minute’s silence was held for Charlie Kirk, followed by loud cheers and chants of “Justice for Charlie” and “we love Charlie, we are all Charlie”.
The crowd then marched towards the city, where another group of counter-protestors was rallying against racism and for Indigenous rights in response to the attack on Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne.
The group also called for support of Palestine and climate action.
Police controlled both crowds as they marched through the city, ensuring they did not cross paths.
Northern Territory
At Darwin’s Australia Unites rally in the Northern Territory, Senator Jacinta Nampajinpa Price’s electorate, some protesters expressed anger over her treatment after she made false claims regarding Indian migration to Australia.
Senator Nampajinpa Price faced widespread backlash and was dumped from her own party’s shadow cabinet this week, after falsely suggesting Labor was allowing Indian migrants into Australia to boost its vote.
An Australia Unites rally in Darwin drew a few hundred people. (ABC News)
One speaker said he supported migration but was worried some migrants were pushing Australia away from “Christian values”. Australia is a secular nation.
During speeches, speakers rejected any affiliation with Neo-Nazis.
About 300 demonstrators attended the rally, expressing anti-government, anti-surveillance and anti-media sentiment.
Around 60 people also gathered on the lawns across from the Alice Springs Local Court to rally against racism.
A gathering formed on the lawns across from the Alice Springs Local Court. (ABC News: Elsie Lange)
Speaking to the crowd, Alice Springs traditional owner Faron Peckham said for the next generation of Australians to be stronger and better, they would need to “walk together”.
“Disempower [racism] by ignoring it and by doing what we need to do,” he said.
Australian Capital Territory
Around 200 people gathered in Canberra’s Civic Square outside the ACT Legislative Assembly.
Organisers characterised the event as a demonstration against fascism and racism in opposition to recent anti-immigration and far-right rallies across the country.
A few hundred people gathered to hear speeches and musical performances at a Canberra rally. (ABC News: Monte Bovill)
Ngambri, Ngunnawal and Wiradjuri woman Leah House spoke to the crowd about the incident at Camp Sovereignty in Melbourne.
“The mob here were sick seeing it,” she said
“A lot of us aren’t surprised by that behaviour.”
Several people also held up Palestinian flags and signs.