URGENT UPDATE: Major cities across Australia are in turmoil as thousands of protesters gather in simultaneous rallies, effectively paralyzing key urban centers. As of September 30, 2023, Melbourne and Sydney are witnessing significant unrest, with police deployed in large numbers to prevent potential clashes between opposing factions.
Protesters under the banner of Australia Unites, representing diverse political groups, have taken to the streets to voice their frustrations over escalating cost-of-living pressures, deteriorating health outcomes, increasing violence, and climate change denial. In Melbourne, demonstrators displayed signs with slogans like “We’re not right-wing, we’re just right.”
Opposing groups, including Indigenous and Palestinian activists, simultaneously organized a National Day of Action against racism and fascism. This comes in direct response to alleged neo-Nazi raids on an Indigenous camp in Melbourne on August 31, prompting chants of “always was, always will be Aboriginal land” at Flinders Street Station.
In Melbourne, police have set up orange barricades and deployed dozens of officers, including mounted units, to maintain order. Aerial footage from the ABC shows police forming lines to separate the demonstrations, maintaining a distance of approximately 50 meters. Authorities confirmed that capsicum spray was deployed at one point during the protests, leading to at least one individual being caught in the chaos.
Police have been granted extraordinary powers to manage the protests, allowing for weapon searches and the removal of face coverings. In Sydney, the Australia Unites group initially planned to march across the Harbour Bridge, but were redirected after legal challenges from police. The rally concluded in Hyde Park, where participants waved Australian and Eureka flags.
Stuart Bonds, a candidate from Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, celebrated the Sydney event on social media, stating, “Well done Sydney…no troubles, no dramas. Done and dusted.” However, authorities reported the arrest of a 50-year-old man for breaching the peace, while paramedics treated two individuals, with no serious injuries reported.
As of late afternoon, Melbourne remained on high alert, with officials monitoring the situation closely to prevent violence reminiscent of previous protests. In August, violent confrontations occurred between anti-immigration and anti-fascism groups, resulting in police using pepper spray to separate the factions. The area is particularly sensitive, as the Camp Sovereignty site is a burial ground for Indigenous remains.
Victorian Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny emphasized the importance of peaceful protests but firmly denounced any actions that incite harm. “Do not ever use the cloak of protest to go out there and cause crime,” she stated, reinforcing that there is “no place for protests that spread harm, hate, fear, and violence” in Victoria.
Rallies were also reported in Hobart, Canberra, and Brisbane, although no significant clashes were reported in these locations. Meanwhile, New Zealand witnessed its own mass gathering, with approximately 50,000 participants at the March for Humanity rally in Auckland, protesting against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, where nearly 65,000 casualties have been reported since October 2023.
As the situation develops, authorities continue to monitor the protests closely, urging participants to remain peaceful while highlighting the critical issues at the heart of these demonstrations.
