(GNB Desk): Thousands of mostly masked demonstrators marched peacefully in several Australian cities Tuesday in protests demanding a change of date for the “Australia Day” national holiday.
Thousands of mostly masked people in Australia marched peacefully in several cities Tuesday in protests against the mistreatment of Indigenous people on ‘Australia Day’, the national holiday marking the 1788 arrival of the British First Fleet that is known as ‘Invasion Day’ by Aboriginal people.
Protesters are demanding a change of date for the “Australia Day” national holiday, per multiple media outlets.
Most of the demonstrators wore face masks and organizers regularly reminded the crowd to follow COVID-safe guidelines as the rally moved from the Victorian Parliament to Flinders Street Station.
Police said there were five arrests for minor offenses. Aboriginal people call the occasion “Invasion Day” as it’s held on the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the British in Australia. Five people were arrested at a Sydney protest for breaching COVID-19 rules by holding an unauthorized protest, police said. In Melbourne, a supporter of the far-right Proud Boys group was arrested while staging a counter-protest, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
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