Anti-immigration rallies broke out across Australia on Sunday with thousands marching against ‘mass migration’. The government has accused the events of spreading racism and linked them to neo-Nazis. Flyers shared widely ahead of the protests appeared to single out Indian immigrants — insisting that they were ‘replacing’ the populace. Several thousand people took to the streets in major cities including Sydney and Melbourne — clashing with counter-protesters in several areas.
“We absolutely condemn the March For Australia Rally that’s going on today. It is not about increasing social harmony. We don’t support rallies like this that are about spreading hate and that are about dividing our community,” a senior minister in the Labor government told Sky News.
Murray Watt insisted that the protests were being “organised and promoted” by neo-Nazi groups. According to reports, a number of Opposition politicians also joined the anti-immigration marches on Sunday. This included One Nation senator Pauline Hanson and federal MP Bob Katter.
Australia has seen a growing wave of right-wing extremism in recent years. The country also implemented laws banning the Nazi salute, and the display or sale of symbols associated with terror groups earlier this year following a series of antisemitic attacks amidst the Israel-Gaza war.
‘More Indians in 5 years than…’
The rallies were put together through social media by a group called March For Australia. Promotional material (such as flyers )pointed specifically to India-born residents of the country as a growing community in Australia. The rally organisers described themselves as a grassroots movement demanding an end to mass immigration and insisting that it had “torn at the bonds that held our communities together.”
“MORE INDIANS IN 5 YEARS, THAN GREEKS AND ITALIANS IN 100: And that’s just from one country…We know migration has a cultural impact. This isn’t a slight cultural change it’s replacement plain and simple. Australia is not an economic zone to be exploited by international finance. Australia is our home. If Albo and Ley won’t make a stand, it’s up to us!” the flyers insisted.
India has emerged as the fastest-growing community in Australia over the past decade — with numbers more than doubling from 378,480 in 2013 to around 845,800 by June 2023. They are the second largest migrant community in the country after the United Kingdom and now represent more than 3.2% of the overall population.
Protests and counter-protests
The marches saw a heavy turnout — with approximately 5,000 to 8,000 people congregating in Sydney alone. The Australian Broadcasting Corp reported that many were draped in the Australian flag as they walked. Visuals shared online also showed some protesters brandishing placards and waving flags as they walked. The protest in Sydney was held near the course of the Sydney Marathon — where 35,000 runners pounded the streets on Sunday — and finished at the Opera House.
Nearby, the Refugee Action Coalition led a counter-rally with hundreds of attendees.
“Our event shows the depth of disgust and anger about the far-right agenda of March For Australia,” a coalition spokesperson said in a statement.
Police said hundreds of officers were deployed across Sydney in an operation that ended “with no significant incidents”.
A large March for Australia rally was held in central Melbourne, the capital of Victoria state, according to aerial footage from the ABC, which reported that riot officers used pepper spray on demonstrators. Victoria Police did not confirm the report but said it would provide details on the protest later on Sunday.