Counter protests against the racist “March for Australia” rallies were organised across Australia on October 19.
This is the second time the far right has sought to mobilise its base and, in the cities where they rallied, they were significantly smaller than the hundreds of thousands strong anti-immigration August 31 protests — despite receiving support from One Nation, Nationals and NSW Libertarian MPs, as well as the mainstream media.
One factor driving their smaller size could have been the publicity given to the connection between the neo-Nazi groups, including the National Socialist Network, and the March for Australia organisers after the August rallies. This time around the neo-Nazi element was less pronounced,
In Gadigal Country/Sydney the March for Australia organisers sought to give its protest a more “family friendly” feel, including getting children to hold the front banner, which read “End mass immigration now. It’s time to put Australians first”.
About 1000 people joined the Unite Against Racism protest in Gadigal Country. It was sponsored by many community organisations, including Refugee Action Coalition, Action for Public Housing, Pride in Protest as well as the Palestine Action Group.
Uncle Dave Bell stood alongside First Nations Dunghutti activist Paul Silva, who called for unity against racism. He said the Australian flags waved by “the neo-Nazi march around the corner” was “a representation of a British construct that was not only responsible for colonising our people but also billions of other people all around the world”.
Silva urged the crowd to rally on November 1 at Sydney Town Hall to take a stand against Black deaths in custody and police brutality against Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
Other speakers included Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqui, Natasha Watt, senior vice president of the NSW Teachers Federation, Shannen Potter, convenor of Labor for Civil Liberties, Luna from Pride in Protest and Shovan Bhattarai from Students for Palestine.
They talked up the contributions immigrants make and criticised right-wing politicians and the far right for making migrants and refugees scapegoats for government policies which are fueling the cost of living and housing crises.
Even , and government figures report net migration is down 37% from 2022-23, after having risen post the pandemic, the racists continue to blame immigration for the lack of services, housing and jobs.
The anti-racist rally in Naarm/Melbourne started with speeches at the State Library and was led by a contingent of First Nations people from Camp Sovereignty.
Chloe DS reports that the racists’ rally was significantly smaller than the one in August and smaller than the anti-racist gathering.
Despite police splitting the anti-racist protest, protesters reunited and marched to the racists’ rally in front of the Victorian Parliament where they chanted for “Racists, Nazis! Off our streets!”
The Victorian Riot Squad and mounted police then unleashed their violence against the anti-racist protesters, including capsicum spray, flash bang grenades, foam baton rounds and kettled them from being able to leave. Several people were injured, including a photographer.
Alex Bainbridge reports from Magan-djin/Brisbane that hundreds rallied against racism and fascism. The rally began at Queens Park and moved towards the racists’ event but was blocked by police in King George Square.
When the racist march began, the counter protest marched through the Queens Street Mall towards Reddacliff Place.
Riley Breen reports from Boorloo/Perth that about 100 counter-protesters gathered at Perth Urban Orchard to protest the nearby March for Australia rally.
Chanting “Migrants are welcome, racists are not”, protesters intended to march towards Wellington Square but were met at Horseshoe Bridge by WA Police who blocked the crowd.
Police pushed protesters back in a kettle maneuver and arrested one marshall, who later went to the emergency department to have injuries treated.
Protesters then marched through Perth Train Station to Citiplace car park entrance, briefly occupying the site before heading to Northbridge Piazza where police again surrounded protesters.
Police blocked protesters from leaving for some time and then only allowed people to leave in small numbers.
About 100 people joined the First Nations-led Cry for Truth and Justice rally in Djilang/Geelong, reports Sarah Hathway. The rally included speakers from Geelong Rainbow, Socialist Alliance, Anarchist Communist Federation and Independent Peaceful Australia Network.
Markela Panegyres reports that hundreds attended the Rally Against Racism in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide, which was led by Kaurna Narranga Ngarrindjeri Nyoongar activist Natasha Wanganeen.
First Nations leaders and elders told the crowd that Aboriginal people continue to face the destruction of their cultural sites, for example the planned expansion of the Adelaide golf course. Elders said this development threatens Aboriginal sites and heritage, and they would resist it.
Speakers also stressed that anti-racist mobilisations, like the Rally Against Racism, are important for cultural survival and solidarity across multicultural groups.
The rally also heard speakers from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Employees Union, Unionists for Palestine and the SA Socialists.
