Scuffles break out as four competing rallies converge on Melbourne

3 months ago 25

Chaotic scenes unfolded across Melbourne on Saturday as scuffles broke out between agitators from largely peaceful rallies that drew thousands of people to the CBD.

Victoria Police said 600 officers patrolled four separate protests, including two anti-racism marches sparked by the prominence of neo-Nazis at last month’s March for Australia demonstrations, and two anti-government rallies.

Sovereignty never ceded protesters march along Swanston Street on Saturday.

Public transport was brought to a standstill across every tram line in the city for hours, while shops closed their doors and bemused locals and tourists watched.

Outside the Victorian parliament, anti-authoritarian rallies were staged under the banners of “Save Australia” and “Australia unites against government corruption”, but organisers said the groups were not connected.

At Flinders Street Station, thousands joined two anti-racism rallies under the “Rally against racism” banner, and a separate “Sovereignty never ceded” demonstration, which demanded an end to attacks like last fortnight’s assault on Camp Sovereignty in King’s Domain.

Police turned out in force to keep rival protest groups separate, forming a no-go zone on Spring Street outside the Princess Theatre between the anti-racism protesters who had marched from Flinders Street, and anti-government demonstrators outside parliament.

But minor scuffles broke out, with some anti-government protesters yelling racist profanities, and anti-racism protesters denouncing people as “Nazis”.

Victoria Police said a 29-year-old man was arrested for criminal damage after an alleged graffiti incident, before being released on summons.

A man is helped by other protesters after police pepper sprayed him as the protest dispersed outside Flinders Street Station.

Anti-racism rally organisers claim as many as 10,000 people gathered outside Flinders Street Station, but police estimate 2500 people joined the separate marches across the city.

Both protests splintered into smaller groups by mid-afternoon, funnelling down Bourke and Little Bourke streets, before facing off on Swanston Street where there were several altercations.

Police deployed capsicum spray several times, including on one man sprayed in the face at close range.

Anti-“Stop Mass Immigration” protesters in the CBD.

The anti-racism rallies, organised by a coalition of groups, opened with messages of unity from speakers as thousands gathered at the steps of Flinders Street Station. “We love everybody, we have no division, we welcome everybody,” an organiser said.

The vast majority of protesters who marched from Flinders Street to the edge of Spring Street were peaceful, waving Aboriginal, Palestinian and LGBTQ+ flags, and leading chants including “Nazi scum off our streets” and “always was, always will be Aboriginal land”.

Similarly, the overwhelming majority of protesters outside parliament were peaceful, although agitators were present in both groups.

Omar Ahsan, an activist and organiser, said the anti-racism rally was co-ordinated in response to the “terrifying” mobilisation of neo-Nazis and far-right extremism demonstrated at the “March For Australia” on August 31, and involved different groups to those who had organised today’s anti-government rallies.

Ahsan was concerned by the large police presence. “It’s fairly shocking that people have been stopped and searched simply for attending a demonstration against the assault on Camp Sovereignty and [in support of] pro-migration and anti-racism,” he said.

“I’ve never seen that happen in my 20 years as an organiser and activist.”

Many protesters leading the anti-racism rallies disparaged police, including one individual who held a paper mache pig dressed in a Victoria Police uniform. There were also accusations of officers unfairly targeting protesters.

Some officers from the public order response wore protective gear and carried guns that fire rubber bullets. Previous victims of rubber bullets have suffered serious injury, disability and death, and the use of so-called “less lethal” weapons has attracted fierce criticism for years.

Protesters outside parliament waved the Australian flag and wore Australian flag-themed apparel.

Outside the Victorian parliament, protesters packed the intersection of Bourke and Spring streets. Most carried Australian flags, were draped in them, or wore garb and accessories bearing the flag. Several described themselves as “white and proud”.

Fringe views dominated the rallies outside parliament. One speaker described fugitive and alleged police murderer Dezi Freeman as “a good man”, while others espoused conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines, the World Health Organisation, governments and the media.

One of the leaders of the rally summoned the crowd to chant “f--- the media”, and called for journalists to be arrested and charged.

Former Liberal upper house MP Bernie Finn told one of the anti-government rallies he planned to again run for parliament at the next state election. Finn was a member of the Victorian Liberal Party but was expelled in 2022 for saying abortion should be banned, even for rape survivors. In 2023, Finn joined the Family First party as a Senate candidate.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece slammed those who attend rallies in the city looking for conflict.

“I’m sure most people coming into these protests are people with very good intentions, but there are also a lot of ratbags that are involved as well, and the collective consequence of all that protest activity is millions of Melburnians don’t get to enjoy their city,” he said.

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