Two Victoria Police officers were hospitalised after violent clashes, while protesters were also arrested following scuffles in Canberra.

One man was arrested in Melbourne, with police deploying crowd control measures including OC (or pepper) spray, flash-bangs and rubber bullets during a tense stand-off with counter protesters.

  • maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zoneEnglish
    12·
    26 days ago

    In Adelaide, the organiser of the city’s August March for Australia event, Mark Aldridge, was out on the streets once again, but this time joined the counter protest.

    He told the ABC it had become clear to him that the March for Australia rally had racist overtones, which he disagreed with.

    “The initial rally when I got involved was meant to be about the lack of supply of services for the migration numbers they were bringing in,” Mr Aldridge said.

    “I tried to send that messaging, it was very quickly assessable that that wasn’t the messaging that was meant to be on the day.”

    The August rally ended after an altercation broke out when a man who identified himself as a member of the National Socialist Network took to the stage to call for an end to immigration.

    • eureka@aussie.zoneEnglish
      2·
      26 days ago

      I hear a lot of theorists talk about how being involved in a movement forces people to come to terms with the reality of it. Propaganda often doesn’t hold up against what’s in front of your face. And it’s reassuring to see that it’s sometimes the case.

      • maniacalmanicmania@aussie.zoneEnglish
        7·
        26 days ago

        Apparently this guy turned up to the anti-racism.rally uninvited and tried to make it all about him by having a press conference of sorts. Was a Trumpet of Patriots candidate at election. So it’s not like he’s had a change of heart. Opportunist looking to self-promote and wants to wash stink of NSN off any future tilt at office I guess.

        • eureka@aussie.zoneEnglish
          3·
          25 days ago

          Oh yuck. Big tent is one thing, but someone just opportunistically doing this is not on.