A series of anti-immigration rallies branded as the “March for Australia” drew crowds, counter-protests and heavy police presence in cities across the country on Sunday, with figures ranging from far-right extremists to sitting politicians taking part.
In Melbourne, tensions flared when protesters gathered outside Flinders Street Station carrying Australian flags and anti-immigration signs. A counter-protest formed nearby, merging an antifascist demonstration with the weekly pro-Palestine rally. Police sealed off major intersections to keep the groups apart, but the crowds eventually converged near Collins and Elizabeth streets, separated only by a wall of officers and mounted police.
The standoff quickly turned volatile. A bottle was thrown from the anti-immigration side, smashing near the antifascist group, while a beer can flew back over the police line. Officers in riot gear pepper-sprayed several counter-protesters before pushing them back.
The march then moved to Victoria’s state parliament, where far-right activist Thomas Sewell told the crowd that “his men” had led the march and warned that immigration posed an existential threat. Another speaker shouted that “Australians are sick and tired of the rising tide of mass immigration,” sparking chants of “Albo must go” and “Aussie Aussie Aussie.”
The rallies were condemned by leaders across the political spectrum. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said anyone “who walks with Nazis” should be ashamed, stressing that multiculturalism was far stronger than those who try to divide.
Federal Labor minister Murray Watt told Sky News the protests were “about spreading hate and dividing our community,” while Opposition Leader Sussan Ley released a video saying, “There is no place for violence, racism or intimidation.” Shadow attorney general Julian Leeser also warned that while some people may genuinely want policy changes, they should be cautious of “the company they keep,” pointing to anti-Indian and antisemitic rhetoric circulating around the rallies.
Despite these warnings, several politicians attended. In Canberra, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and senator Malcolm Roberts joined a crowd of a few hundred near Lake Burley Griffin, waving flags within sight of Parliament House. Federal MP Bob Katter was spotted at the Townsville rally, while in Brisbane, thousands marched from the Roma Street parklands to the city’s botanical gardens, briefly clashing with counter-protesters.
At one point in Brisbane, First Nations activist Uncle Wayne Wharton confronted marchers, telling them: “You invaded this country, you stole the land.”
In Sydney, police juggled security at three separate events on Sunday: the city marathon, a pro-Palestine rally, and the March for Australia protest. Hundreds of officers were deployed, but no major incidents were reported.
The demonstrations were promoted online by neo-Nazi networks, former anti-lockdown campaigners, and fringe groups, though no single group claimed responsibility for organizing them.
