Thousands of Australia Day protesters have filled the streets of Melbourne’s CBD, while Indigenous senator Lidia Thorpe fired up asking “what do we have to celebrate in this country?”.
Thousands have turned out to Australia Day protests in Melbourne’s CBD, marking a national day of mourning for First Nations people.
Impassioned crowds kicked off Thursday’s rally at Parliament House, with chants of “F— Australia Day” echoing through a packed Spring St.
A traditional smoking ceremony began the official events as protesters arrived.
Supporters lined the steps of Parliament House bearing signs of First Nations people who have died in police custody. Others wore shirts declaring “Always was, Always Will Be.”
The rally later moved down Bourke and Swanston streets to Flinders St Staion with a highly-visible police presence throughout the CBD.
An estimated 12,000-15,000 people attended demonstrations in the city but no arrests were made, a Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed.
Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe was seen alongside at least eight others lying in the middle of a major CBD intersection.
Senator Thorpe and mass crowds held up traffic at the intersection of Little Collins and Collins streets just before 1pm.
Footage captured by the Herald Sun shows the moment Senator Thorpe lay sprawled over tram tracks in a gesture to signal reclaiming First Nations land.
Read the article by Kaitlyn Smith and Brooke Grebert-Craig in the Herald Sun.