Australian flag on fire as ‘anti-monarchy’ protests begin Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra

Protesters have set fire to the Australian flag amid calls to ‘abolish the monarchy’ only hours after the national memorial service to mourn the Queen. 

Thousands rallied against colonialism and to draw attention to First Nation people’s suffering in rallies held in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra.

Protesters at Melbourne’s Birrarung Marr cut up the flag and chanted ‘abolish the monarchy’.

Federal Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe led a crowd on the Queen’s National Day of Mourning.

‘The Crown’s boot is on our neck and we’re sick of it,’ Ms Thorpe told the rally.

The group is expected to march to state parliament.

Activists set fire to newspapers and Australian flags at Brisbane’s ‘Abolish the Monarchy’ protest

Wayne Wharton (pictured centre) held up an Australian flag for burning at Brisbane’s anti-monarchy protest 

A banner at the Brisbane protest read ‘No Kings, No Cops, No Capitalists’, as it was carried by the economic-reformist group the Socialist Alternative.

Other protesters wore shirts calling for Australia Day to be abolished. 

Indigenous elder Uncle Wayne Wharton wore one such shirt as he stood by an Australian flag whilst other indigenous protesters set it alight in Brisbane’s CBD. 

Activist groups have been planning the protests since the death of the Queen just a week ago. 

Activist carried signs and called for a range of reforms during the first of nationwide national day of mourning protests (pictured) 

Protestors swarmed the central streets of Brisbane with banners, flags, signs and T-shirts all calling for an end to the monarchy (pictured)

In Adelaide, a man was removed from Government House after he was heard chanting anti-monarchy slogans.

Police asked the 31-year-old, from Mile End, to leave the area but he refused.

He was escorted from the premises and issued with a trespass notice not to re-enter the area for 24 hours.

Activist groups Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) and Fighting In Solidarity Towards Treaties are among those organising the demonstrations.

‘This is a stance against the continued crimes committed against marginalised First Nations, black, brown and Asian communities. We do not support benefactors or Stolenwealth (sic) and demand justice, truth and accountability for all. Justice for all,’ WAR wrote on Facebook.

‘This is a demonstration against racist colonial imperialism.’