10,000 in protest at ‘invasion’
UP to 10,000 people turned out for one of Brisbane’s largest Australia Day protests in recent memory on Tuesday.
Streets were blocked off between Brisbane’s CBD and South Bank as peaceful demonstrators called on elected officials to change the date from January 26, or abolish Australia Day altogether.
Hundreds of police were deployed, but no one was arrested, a police spokesman said.
One man was spoken to by officers after entering the protest draped in an Australian flag and engaging in a verbal dispute with an Indigenous man.
He was asked to move on. Aboriginal colours and messaging was hung over a statue of Queen Victoria at Queens Gardens in Brisbane’s CBD, along with a large sign that said “Not the Queen’s land”.
Vera Short, 67, a Wakka Wakka woman from Eidsvold, said it was important that her grandchildren Shylah Short, 8, Alaska Daniels, 3, and Harlow Daniles, 7, were at the “Invasion Day” rally with her.
“I just hope they change the date so we can celebrate with all Australians,” she said.
“Like I’ve said before, you don’t celebrate killing people.”
Several Indigenous elders and community members delivered emotional speeches on issues including Indigenous incarceration rates, deaths in custody, the historic trauma of the stolen generation, environment concerns, as well as repeated calls to “abolish the date” of January 26.
More than two-thirds were estimated to have donned medical masks. A QR code for the event was distributed online and organisers requested attendees bring hand sanitiser and wear masks throughout.