44m agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 3:41am
Protests winding down in some cities
After walking the streets of Sydney’s CBD, March for Australia protesters have returned to the starting place in Hyde Park.
Our Sydney team have wound up their reporting from the scene.
Meanwhile, the protest has finished up in Canberra.
Further south in Tasmania, our Hobart crew have wrapped things up.
58m agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 3:26am
Katter joins Brisbane March for Australia rally
Federal MP Bob Katter joined March for Australia protesters in Brisbane today.
Here are a few photos from the Brisbane rally snapped by ABC reporter Will Murray:
(ABC News: Will Murray)
(ABC News: Will Murray)
(ABC News: Will Murray)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 3:17am
Police keep protesters separate in Hobart
Dozens of Tasmania Police officers formed a line around Parliament House in Hobart, where the anti-racism rally was being held, as March for Australia demonstrators marched past.
Reporter Jessica Moran was there and says the March for Australia demonstrators waved flags and used a megaphone to yell, “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi.”
Tasmania Police says there was no escalation of tensions during the march, and there was no intention from either group to clash today.
(ABC News: Jessica Moran)
(ABC News: Jessica Moran)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 3:06am
Bird’s eye view of protesters marching in Canberra
Drone images show March for Australia protesters crossing Canberra’s Commonwealth Bridge, before meeting police and anti-racism protesters on the other side.
(ABC News: Simon Beardsell)
(ABC News: Simon Beardsell)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 3:04am
About 5,000 protesters at Sydney March for Australia rally
Police estimate 5,000 people joined the anti-mass immigration rally in Sydney’s CBD.
(ABC News)
Members of the crowd carried Australian flags and sang Waltzing Matilda and other Aussie classics as they marched from Hyde Park along Margaret, York and Druitt streets.
Police say the group was well-behaved, with only one protester moved on after holding up the rally.
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:54amFormer Adelaide March For Australia organiser switches side to Rally Against Racism
The organiser of Adelaide’s August March for Australia rally, Mark Aldridge, is at today’s Rally Against Racism counter-rally.
He told the ABC it had become clear to him that the March for Australia rally had racist overtones, which he disagreed with.
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:53am
Prioritise ‘those that are living here’, Hanson urges government
Lee Hanson, the daughter of One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, has addressed the crowd at the March for Australia demonstration in Hobart.
“What I have a problem with is unsustainable immigration levels which we call mass immigration,” Ms Hanson said.
“The government priority needs to be for those that are living here in this country first and foremost before you bring anyone else in.
“It’s not rocket science.
“Slow [immigration] down and manage it effectively.”
At one point in her speech, Ms Hanson highlighted that the Labor and Liberal parties were not present at the demonstration, while One Nation was.
This observation met with a loud cheer from attendees.
Lee Hanson addressing the rally. (ABC News: Jessica Moran)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:52am
A few thousand join Adelaide’s March for Australia rally
In Adelaide, it is estimated that a couple of thousand people are marching through the CBD on what is a hot afternoon, with many waving Australian flags.
(ABC News: Emma Masters)
Today’s March for Australia rally, which began in Light Square, has a much lower turnout than one held in August.
ABC reporter Emma Masters says it is peaceful so far.
Meanwhile, dozens have gathered at a counter-rally in nearby Victoria Square.
Joint organiser and Narungga man Joshua Weetra Rigney says he believes Australia has a “systemic” racism problem, and he wants more “truth telling” and “honest talks” to encourage tolerance across multicultural Australia.
(ABC News: Angelique Donnellan)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:40am
‘No signs’ of neo-Nazis at Sydney rally
 ABC reporter Fiona Willan says Sydney’s rally looks very different to the one that took place in August.
Here’s what she’s had to say:
“Back then, it was led by a small group of neo-Nazis, including one who got up on stage and gave a speech.
“I should point out that many in the crowd booed him during that speech, and people that we’ve spoken
to today say that group would not be welcomed back here.
“They feel that it does a disservice to their message.
“And certainly we haven’t seen any signs of them so far.
“It’s believed they’re not planning to march again until Australia Day.”
(ABC News)1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:39amWATCH: Riot police move in on Melbourne protest
As tensions flare in Melbourne, police officers in riot gear have pushed protesters further back, moving them further away from state parliament.
Loading…
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:38am
Several thousand at Brisbane March for Australia rally
In Brisbane, several thousand people are marching at the March for Australia rally.
It’s a very hot afternoon, and crowds are mostly subdued.
Many are waving Australia and Eureka flags, and holding placards saying “end mass immigration” and “net zero is ruining our country”.
There’s a heavy police presence, with a counter rally in nearby streets.
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:30am
March for Australia protest heads through Sydney CBD
Fiona Willan is on the ground in Sydney.
She took these pictures as March for Australia protesters first gathered in Hyde Park and then started making their way through the CBD.
(ABC News: Fiona Willan)
(ABC News: Fiona Willan)
(ABC News: Fiona Willan)
1h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:27am
WATCH: Loud bangs heard at Melbourne protest
As Melbourne reporter Natasha Schapova concluded her live cross to ABC News Channel, large bangs were heard echoing through the CBD behind her, as protesters continued to clash with police.
Loading…2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:18amProtesters clash at Canberra’s Commonwealth Bridge
More than 400 people have joined the March for Australia rally in Canberra, marching from the Captain James Cook Memorial across Commonwealth Bridge towards Parliament House.
(ABC News: Peter Lusted)
The group clashed with anti-racism protesters at the base of the bridge, with police keeping between the two groups.
Protesters from both sides could be heard yelling at each other.
(ABC News: Peter Lusted)
At least two people have been seen being detained by police.
(ABC News: Peter Lusted)
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:15am
‘This is an anti-racist town,’ counter-protester says
(ABC News)
Tim, who joined Melbourne’s counter-protests as part of a contingent of university students and staff, said he attended to send a message to the anti-immigration protesters.
“Unfortunately, not for the first time, we’ve seen racist, far-right agitators marching through our streets here in the heart of Melbourne,” he said.
“We want to go and confront them, to outnumber them, to show them that this is an anti-racist town, that they’re not welcome here, that migrants and refugees are welcome here.”
He said the police had “shamefully” blocked the group from doing so.
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:15am
Sydney protester wants to put ‘Australia first’
Craig Drew is at Sydney’s March for Australia rally because he wants to put “Australia first” ahead of globalist movements, and wants to see a “sensible immigration” policy.
“We got 1 million people in the last three years but we’re still talking about a skills shortage,” he said.
“How do you import a million people and still have a skills shortage?”
(ABC News)
He says he also has other concerns besides immigration.
“Housing, it’s just so congested in the cities these days.
“The net zero is not going to achieve anything on the climate but it’s going to cost us trillion of dollars, it’s not going to meet our energy needs into the future.”Â
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:12am
Protesters gather outside Flinders St Station in Melbourne
Saoirse attended the counter-protest, wearing a dressed made up of many different flags.
She said the anti-immigration protest being held across the city was spreading “dangerous rhetoric”.
“I’m here because I believe the March for Australia is racist and an early sign of fascism,” she said.
“It’s really just to use, in this case, immigrants as the scapegoat for certain issues.”
(ABC News)
She accused the March for Australia protesters of using lies to further their agenda.
“It’s either to perpetuate racism or misogyny, but I’ve seen this pattern many times and I just believe it’s very problematic and not based on truth,” she said.
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:11amStart time confusion at Darwin’s March for Australia
The beginning of the March for Australia rally in Darwin has been marked with confusion about the event’s start time.
Around 30 people gathered in Civic Park at 10:30am ACST local time adorned in Australian and Eureka flags.
Following a brief discussion, the crowd decided to regather at 12pm ACST, with some attendees noting they had seen different start times advertised on various platforms.
A small group of March for Australia protestors gathered in Darwin. (ABC News: Pete Garnish)
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:04am
WATCH: March for Australia protesters gather in Sydney
2h agoSun 19 Oct 2025 at 2:02am
Sydney counter protest on the move
The Unite Against Racism rally has begun its march through the streets of Sydney.
The crowd is chanting:
“March for Australia, you can’t hide.
“You’ve got Nazis on your side.”
(ABC News: Nick Dole)
(ABC News: Nick Dole)
The group has made its way to the southern edge of Hyde Park before turning back towards Belmore Park.
March for Australia demonstrators are gathering on the northern end of Hyde Park, but there is a heavy police presence to ensure the two protest groups don’t meet each other.
(ABC News: Nick Dole)