Anti-immigration protests heat up in Australia’s Sunshine state

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Tensions have flared at anti-immigration protests around Australia with an estimated six thousand people gathering in Brisbane. Fiery clashes with counter protestors had authorities on alert with violence spilling over in Melbourne. Police here made a couple of arrests but said Queensland crowds were mostly peaceful.

Transcript

00:00Australian flags and choruses of chants.

00:08The young and old gathered across the country for a so-called March for Australia.

00:13When oppression becomes law, then resistance becomes duty.

00:19In Townsville, Bob Cutter was met with cheers, days after threatening a journalist who referenced his Lebanese heritage.

00:27A lot of people criticised me, but when I came off the aeroplane today, everyone was cheering and clapping.

00:33Across the state, protesters blamed mass immigration for the cost of living crisis.

00:38Deportation! Yes!

00:41Airigration! No!

00:43I won't be able to afford a house because of mass migration!

00:46The Brisbane crowd slammed the Prime Minister and the national broadcaster was singled out.

00:51Fake news ABC! Fake news ABC!

00:56As the anti-immigration rally headed towards State Parliament, they came face-to-face with counter-protesters.

01:03Exchanges got heated, but police kept the two sides apart.

01:09Thousands have marched through the streets of Brisbane today, critiquing the federal government on immigration laws.

01:15Streets were shut down, traffic came to a halt.

01:18We're just trying to get to lunch.

01:20It's not the sort of Australia I'd want to live in, you know. This is not what we're about.

01:25There's a strong opinion behind this and a strong feeling.

01:28How logically that's been thought through would be my question.

01:31But, you know, the government are going to take notice of this, that's for sure.

01:34They'd be crazy if they didn't.

01:35Police commended the overall behaviour.

01:38I can report that one man was arrested and has been charged with two counts of assaulting police.

01:44And that another man was detained for a breach of the peace.

01:47But, in the centre of Melbourne, violence erupted.

01:51Anti-immigration protesters were led by men dressed in black who clashed with counter-protesters.

01:57Hopelessly outnumbered, a police officer deployed pepper spray before moving away.

02:02While a woman was slammed to the ground.

02:05A protester launched into a group, knocking over a Channel 9 cameraman.

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