Australia Day: Arrests as police clash with Invasion Day protesters

Police clash with Australia Day protesters in Sydney. Photo / News Corp Australia

Peaceful protests calling for a change to the January 26 Australia Day holiday date turned ugly today as police clashed with protesters in Sydney.

After hours of speeches at the Domain in the Sydney CBD, where police told protesters they could gather but not march, a number of protesters were arrested. "If you do the right thing, I'll do the right thing," an officer told an organiser before the arrests began.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing yesterday warned that police would not hesitate to ensure crowd numbers stayed under 500 in line with Covid-related public health measures. Around 3,000 people turned up in the Sydney CBD, organisers told reporters.

"Do not come in and be part of that public gathering. Find another way to express your views and opinions," Willing said yesterday. "We are all aware that these are sensitive issues and they are very important issues to a lot of people, but we are still in the middle of a global pandemic and we're asking people to abide by those health orders." NSW police are able to issue on-the-spot fines upwards of A$1000 but the penalty for breaching public health orders comes with a fine up to A$11,000 and a six-month jail term.

Police made a bunch of arrests in the wake of the Sydney #InvasionDay rally. This was not the main protest but rather a few breakaway contingents which were existing The Domain via Hyde Park. Cops tried to stop legal observers from assisting in this clip pic.twitter.com/j5u2MzNSuo

— Zac Crellin (@zacrellin) January 26, 2021

.#BREAKING after clashing with police, protestors have been pulled aside and ushered out of Hyde Park. #InvasionDay #auspol2021 @CentralNewsUTS pic.twitter.com/c4rjO1nReh

— Fred Pawle (@Fredkpawle) January 26, 2021

Organisers at #InvasionDay in Sydney have asked protesters to break up into “500 small groups” after police put a cap of 500 ppl before they shut it down. With prob close to 500 pplright now at the Domain, that loophole could soon be tested. @newscomauHQ pic.twitter.com/cnQP9JT6je

— Benedict Brook (@BenedictBrook) January 25, 2021

The annual event has in recent years seen thousands of Australians take to the streets to protest against the country's national holiday.

The Invasion Day rallies call for, among other things, a changing of the date on which Australia Day falls. For many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the anniversary of the day is not one to celebrate as it marks the start of the dispossession and marginalisation of indigenous Australians.

Reconciliation Australia, the national body focused on reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, said many Aboriginal people wish to celebrate Australian values and freedoms but feel they can't do that on January 26.

"The historical events of January 26 mean that many Australians – indigenous and non-indigenous – perceive it as date that marks the commencement of a long history of violence and trauma," the organisation explains. This is the basis of the argument for changing the date of Australia Day to one all Australians can celebrate.

A mural by street artist Scott Marsh presenting Australian PM Scott Morrison as Captain James Cook next to two words, "Captain Cooked", and the hashtag #ChangeTheDate. Photo / Getty Images

The debate around changing the date has ramped up significantly in recent years, to the point where it has become a national talking point in the lead-up to January 26 every year.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously described Australia Day as a chance for Australians from "all walks of life, from all backgrounds" to celebrate how far the country has come, but Invasion Day protesters don't accept that description.

Naarm showin up!❤️💛🖤

This photo doesn’t show it well (bc it’s a panorama) but everyone is wearing masks and getting into COVID-safe distanced spots before we kick off... #InvasionDay pic.twitter.com/g3tjb2M3hY

— Lucy Thomas OAM (@lucylockit_) January 26, 2021

Invasion Day rally Melbourne: Thousands have gathered outside state Parliament House to protest Australia Day. Demonstrators from the Warriors of Aboriginal resistance group have laid signs on the ground. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/SrOLqIGHv1

— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) January 25, 2021

Thousands and thousands of people commemorating and mourning #InvasionDay in Meanjin/Brisbane. So many staunch young people! pic.twitter.com/ZMAW5XgeTA

— Ben Pennings (@BenPennings) January 26, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic this year saw Victorians unable to gather for an Australia Day rally because it was deemed a public health risk by the state government. But Melbourne City Council did approve an Invasion Day Dawn Service.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the seated, 250-capacity service at Kings Domain was "a way of supporting an event that reflects that ancient Australian history".

Thousands still gathered outside Parliament House in Melbourne for a demonstration where a minute of silence was observed.

Invasion Day protests have been planned for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Newcastle, Rockhampton, Lismore, Albury and Lithgow.