Australia Day 2023: Invasion Day protester in tears at Melbourne demonstration

Striking photos have emerged from the Invasion Day protests rocking Australia’s biggest cities – with a young female protester overcome with emotion at a Melbourne rally.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets on Thursday for marches in every state and territory across the country to protest against Australia Day being held on January 26, and for Indigenous rights. 

In Melbourne, Greens Senator Thorpe headlined a protest on the steps of the Victorian Parliament and took to the stage clutching a war stick to loud cheers from the huge crowd in the midday heat.

The star of Melbourne’s treaty movement inflamed emotions with her declaration that Australia was in a ‘war’ with Indigenous people.

And at one point, the intensity of the day proved too much for one of the protesters – holding a sign saying ‘no pride in genocide’ – who burst into tears and had to be consoled.

The woman, wearing a kangaroo skin cape, wiped away tears as a friend put a comforting arm around her.

An Invasion Day protester burst into tears and was overcome with emotion as Greens senator and Indigenous rights campaigner Lidia Thorpe declared: ‘This is war’

The intensity of the rallies proved too much for one of the protesters - holding a sign saying 'No pride in genocide' - who burst into tears

The intensity of the rallies proved too much for one of the protesters – holding a sign saying ‘No pride in genocide’ – who burst into tears 

Her tears came on the same day that Senator Thorpe doubled down on her extraordinary call to arms in a fiery speech.

‘(It was) a war that was declared on our people more than 200 years ago,’ Senator Thorpe said, adding that black women were still being raped by ‘them’.

Loud shouts of ‘shame’ met Ms Thorpe’s consecutive declarations, given with red-painted hands symbolising violence and in which she held a ‘war stick’.

Meanwhile, a NSW rally in Sydney was countered by pro-Australia Day demonstrators – wielding ‘I Support Australia Day’ signs – who were quickly moved away from Invasion Day protesters. 

Lidia Thorpe brandished a 'battle stick' as she addressed a crowd on the steps of the Victorian Parliament

Lidia Thorpe brandished a ‘battle stick’ as she addressed a crowd on the steps of the Victorian Parliament

Protesters took to the streets in every state and territory (pictured, young protester at rally in Brisbane)

The Invasion Day rally is protesting against January 26 as Australia's national holiday (pictured, protester in Brisbane)

Protesters took to the streets in every state and territory rallying against January 26 as Australia’s national holiday (pictured)

Crowds gather at Belmore Park in Sydney's CBD for the annual Invasion Day protests

Crowds gather at Belmore Park in Sydney’s CBD for the annual Invasion Day protests

Counter protesters in support of Australia Day stood across the road from the Invasion Day rally holding the Australian flag and placards (pictured)

Counter protesters in support of Australia Day stood across the road from the Invasion Day rally holding the Australian flag and placards (pictured)

Police also intervened and asked the group to disperse and said they would be issued with a direction, if they didn’t obey the request. 

Speakers in Sydney made calls for Indigenous sovereignty and criticised the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Activist and Dunghutti, Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung woman, Auntie Lizzie Jarrett told attendees to vote no.

‘Liberal, Labor, the system is not for Black People,’ she said as the crowd cheered in response.

‘We don’t want a voice, we have a voice. We don’t want a white wash.

‘When it comes to the time. Vote ‘no’ to the referendum. Don’t come here and tick a box.’

Police swiftly moved the counter protesters along (pictured)

Police swiftly moved the counter protesters along (pictured)

Ms Jarrett also told the NSW Police officers gathered at the rally, that they did not need their protection. 

The activist called Australia Day ‘dead’ and likened it to the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II. 

‘We protect each other. This is sovereignty day, Australia Day is dead,’ Ms Jarrett said.

‘Just like queen Lizzie, Australia Day is dead with her. Will you support us? If you do, when that referendum comes around, kick it to the ground like Australia.’

Poll

What should we do about Australia Day?

  • Nothing, it’s a tradition 475 votes
  • Let Aussies decide by vote when we should hold it 175 votes
  • Scrap it completely 53 votes

Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi is present at the march and posted images of the smoking ceremony to Twitter.

‘Today I am joining First Nations people to mark 26 January as Invasion Day, as I have for many years. It is a Day of Mourning,’ Ms Faruqi wrote.

‘We are calling for First Nations justice and we are calling for Treaty in this country.’

 Greens candidate for the nSW upper house and Wiradjuri woman Linda June Coe labelled the Indigenous Voice to Parliament a ‘fallacy’. 

She told the crowd at Belmore Park the Invasion Day rally was a day of reckoning for White Australia.

‘White Australia, this is the reckoning – 235 years and we ain’t going nowhere,’ she said

‘They tried to wipe us out, still here. They tried to breed us out, still here. They tried to commit genocide on us, still here!

‘Brisbane, Melbourne, we are all mobilising against the fallacy that is constitutional recognition. My people, this is the voice.’

A protestor carries a placard showing the Aboriginal flag during an Invasion Day rally in Sydney

A protestor carries a placard showing the Aboriginal flag during an Invasion Day rally in Sydney 

Protestors marching from Belmore Park to the Yabun Festival at Victoria Park, Camperdown (pictured)

Protestors marching from Belmore Park to the Yabun Festival at Victoria Park, Camperdown (pictured)

January 26 is celebrated as Australia Day, marking the arrival of the First Fleet into Australia, marking the colonisation of the country's Aboriginal people

January 26 is celebrated as Australia Day, marking the arrival of the First Fleet into Australia, marking the colonisation of the country’s Aboriginal people

Indigenous anti-mining activist Adrian Burragubba called the government’s voice plan patronising and a form of assimilation.

‘This is like a paternalistic attitude, all the time, of telling us, ‘We know what’s best for you people and we will tell you what’s right’,’ he said.

‘We don’t want to be assimilated into a constitution written by white people.’

Hundreds of people braced temperatures of 27C wearing clothes bearing the Aboriginal flag.

Signs read ‘we deserve better than just a voice’ and ‘vote no to referendum’.

The sails of the Sydney Opera House were lit up with Indigenous artwork by proud Kamilaroi woman and artist, Rhonda Sampson, to celebrate First Nations women around the water of Sydney Harbour.

The theme for Sydney's rally is 'sovereignty before voice' in response to the Federal Government's Voice to Parliament proposal

The theme for Sydney’s rally is ‘sovereignty before voice’ in response to the Federal Government’s Voice to Parliament proposal

The rally opened with a smoking ceremony, followed by traditional dances (pictured) and an acknowledgement of country made by Uncle Dave Bell

The rally opened with a smoking ceremony, followed by traditional dances (pictured) and an acknowledgement of country made by Uncle Dave Bell

Prior to the protest, hundreds gathered at Barangaroo for the WugulOra morning ceremony to honour First Nations people and reflect on what the day means for them.

An ancient Smoking Ceremony was held to ‘cleanse the way for new beginnings’ and to celebrate the world’s oldest living culture through dance, music and language.

Attendees witnessed special performances by Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander dancers and singers such as the Koomurri Aboriginal Dance Troupe.

A march also kicked off in Canberra at Garema Place, with hundreds of people gathering in the sun at 9.30am.

A sign hung in the park reads ‘Self-determination not incarceration’.

Meanwhile, there was no Australia Day parade throughout the city for the third year running, while thousands of people flocked to the streets to stand in solidarity with First Nations people.

A large crowd of protestors assembled outside Victoria's State Parliament on Bourke Street in the city's CBD for the annual Invasion Day celebration (pictured)

A large crowd of protestors assembled outside Victoria’s State Parliament on Bourke Street in the city’s CBD for the annual Invasion Day celebration (pictured)

Protesters in Melbourne put red paint on their hands to show the country has “blood on their hands (pictured)

Protesters in Melbourne put red paint on their hands to show the country has ‘blood on their hands (pictured)

The large crowd assembled outside Victoria’s State Parliament on Bourke Street in the city’s CBD for the annual Invasion Day celebration. 

The crowd, which numbered in the thousands, burst into cheers when a speaker declared ‘f**k Australia Day.’ 

Uncle Gary Foley was the rally’s first speaker, slammed The Voice to parliament proposal labelling it ‘lipstick on a pig.’ 

Protestors were also seen with red paint on their hands to symbolise Australia has ‘blood on their hands.’   

In Cairns, protesters started marching from Fogarty Park at 9am and walked through the city with a sign that read ‘Abolish Australia day’. 

The crowd could be heard chanting: ‘What do we want? Treaty. When do we want it? Now’.

Protestors at an Invasion Day rally in Melbourne

Protestors at an Invasion Day rally in Melbourne

People dance while on a march during an Invasion Day rally in Brisbane

People dance while on a march during an Invasion Day rally in Brisbane

The Invasion Day rally in Brisbane started at Queens Garden at 10am and has amassed a crowd of more than  10,000 supporters. 

Roads throughout the city’s CBD were closed as the protestors marched from the gardens to Musgrave Park. 

The crowd remained silent as rally organisers asked if they should support The Voice to Parliament referendum.

‘Is there anyone here who thinks we need a Voice? No one?’ he asked.

‘We want our land back. We want an end to deaths in custody. We want an end to intergenerational trauma.

‘We have a voice, those bastards in Parliament haven’t been listening. What we want is justice, what we want is self determination and sovereignty.

‘If they think some government-appointed advisory council is going to say it better than that, they have no idea.’

A young person attends an Invasion Day rally in Brisbane

A young person attends an Invasion Day rally in Brisbane 

Thousands of people gathered at Queens Gardens for the Invasion Day event on Thursday.

The massive crowd, expected to be more than 10,000 supporters, walked from the gardens to Musgrave Park, with roads being shut down throughout the Brisbane CBD.

Hundreds of people gathered on the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra after marching from the city centre of the nation’s capital in a January 26 ‘Sovereignty Day’ protest.

The massive crowd clapped and cheered as they arrived on the lawn outside Old Parliament House – 51 years to the day since the tent embassy was established as a permanent protest site. 

Protesters walked the 3km from Civic and were heard chanting: ‘Too many coppers, not enough Justice’, ‘no justice no peace, no racist police’ and ‘always was, always will be Aboriginal land’.  

Sign outside an Invasion Day protest in Canberra

Sign outside an Invasion Day protest in Canberra

Protesters march past Old Parliament House to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy at part of an "invasion day" rally in Canberra

Protesters march past Old Parliament House to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy at part of an “invasion day” rally in Canberra

Protestors chanted together as they walked the 3km from Civic: ‘Too many coppers, not enough justice; No justice, no peace, no racist police; Always was, always will be Aboriginal land’. 

Signs protesting against the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament were visible at the front of the crowd before it dispersed at the embassy. 

A small group of people stood on the lawn behind a large placard reading: ‘F**k your Voice, it is not ours’.

Crowds gathered at Elizabeth Street in Hobart’s CBD from 10.50am where they marched towards Parliament Lawns for an Invasion Day rally at midday.

Hundreds of people can be seen walking through the city’s streets, holding Aboriginal flags.

‘Australia Day = Invasion day,’ one sign in the crowd said.

‘Invasion, murder, rape, dispossession, deaths in custody, attempted genocide. Celebrate…you’re joking,’ another said. 

Non-Indigenous Australians have been celebrating what is known as ‘Australia Day’ for 29 years.

The day is a historic one which holds deep, cultural significance to Indigenous Australians and is a chance to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody.

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