Students around the country have walked out of school to join protests in capital cities and some regions against One Nation and its leader Pauline Hanson.
The rallies have been condemned by Ms Hanson, who wrote a message to students on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), saying: “Whether you know it or not, One Nation and I are fighting for you.”
In Melbourne, hundreds of students gathered outside the State Library in the CBD carrying anti-One Nation signs, banners and a pinata designed to look like Ms Hanson which was broken apart to reveal lollies.
Students of all ages, and some parents, joined the protest in Melbourne. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
Organised by the National Union of Students, the rally saw speeches from both high school students and political leaders, including former Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam.
Ms Ratnam said she was impressed by the turnout.
“It gives me hope that we can stop the rise of One Nation,” she said.
“Everything is on the line right now.”
Several students brought handmade signs to the protest in Melbourne. (ABC News)
The upcoming Victorian state election will be the first time year 12 student Corey Zalchendler will be able to vote, something they said they were very excited about.
“Since people under 18 can’t vote I think they should come out and protest,” Corey said.
“They should express their democratic rights and stand up for what they believe in, stand up for equality and rights.”
Students joined the protest, voicing their opposition to racism, bigotry and capitalism. (ABC News: Sacha Payne)
The sentiment was shared by 15-year-old student Georgia Newton.
“I’m tired of the injustices that Pauline Hanson is threatening … and the whole One Nation party is threatening to do, if they go into office,” she said.
“Do not run for office, and stop hating on the people who just want to be themselves.”
She said her parents were supportive of her attending the protest.
“They think that the youth should be able to learn and do what they want,” she said.
High school student Georgia says her parents supported her joining the protest. (ABC News)
One Nation supporters led away from rallies in Sydney, Brisbane
Protesters in Sydney carried homemade signs and a paper mache Pauline Hanson head in a protest against the One Nation leader and her policies.
A crowd of mostly students filled the square outside Sydney’s Town Hall chanting against racism, sexism and homophobia.
Greens Newtown MP Jenny Leong spoke to cheers against racists, “including Pauline Hanson”, asking the students to pledge to continue to attend rallies.
Chants included “high school, uni, teachers too, Pauline Hanson, we’re coming for you” and “racist, sexist, anti-queer, Pauline Hanson not welcome here”.
The crowd was told their attendance was a display of democracy. (ABC News: Emily Baker)
One year 9 student told the ABC he had received resistance from teachers before walking out of school, while others said they had received permission from their parents to skip school entirely.
“The media have gone crazy over the fact that high schoolers are walking out of school,” one event organiser said to the crowd.
“This is what democracy looks like.”
A woman chanting in support of One Nation was escorted away from the broader rally by police and event organisers.
One year 9 student said there was a “bit of fight back” from teachers to attend the protest at Sydney Town Hall, but he and his peers had “prevailed”.
“We’re just fighting against the oppression and racism that they’re putting us through and we’re making a change against all these racists and deranged people all throughout Australia,” he told the ABC.
“We just don’t want these people being in charge of this country, we have to do something to make a change,” his friend added.
Some Sydney students said they were taking a stand against racism by attending the rally. (ABC News)
Alex Rey Laaksonen, another attendee, said his family were immigrants and said he wanted to “stand up” for the country.
“I think everyone deserves a voice and we should be more fair,” Lincoln Mesecke-Trent, who attended with Alex, said.
In Brisbane, a One Nation supporter yelling “Pauline Hanson will save Australia” to a protest crowd of about 200 young people in King George Square was removed and arrested by police officers.
Police said the arrest was discontinued, and the man issued with a move-on direction.
About 200 people attended the Brisbane protest. (ABC News: Meghan Dansie)
Students for Palestine organiser and university student Connor Knight said he was pleased to see high school students in attendance.
“I think nothing is more important than people standing up against our society going backwards,” he said.
“If students want to walk out of school, that’s them making a statement that they think that is important.”
Teenagers Emma Totzl and Mara Helmers attended today’s protest in Brisbane. (ABC News: Meghan Dansie)
One Nation supporter Maree, who stumbled across the CBD protest, said it was concerning.
“There’s so many young people here who have got this view that there’s something wrong with democracy and capitalism,” she said.
“There’s a conflict there that they don’t seem to understand.”
In Perth, organisers said students from more than 100 local high schools marched through the CBD.
Chants echoed through the streets as protesters challenged the party’s policies.
Students told the ABC they felt empowered by the support and the encouragement they received from attendees.
A small crowd of onlookers booed in support of One Nation.
Hundreds attended the rally in Perth. (ABC News: Jasmine Hughes)
Arguments in South Australia, abuse in regional Victoria
One Nation MP Cory Bernardi, who is an upper house member of SA’s parliament, was walking into the building as hundreds of students and other protesters in Adelaide rallied on the steps.
As protesters chanted slogans against One Nation, Mr Bernardi appeared to be filming the demonstration on his phone, before becoming engaged in political discussion with someone at the rally.
Mr Bernardi said the protesters “don’t even know what they’re talking about”, to which his interlocutor responded “well, there’s a lot of people in parliament who don’t know what they’re talking about”.
South Australian state upper house One Nation MP Cory Bernardi and a protester on the steps of SA parliament during a rally. (ABC News)
While both traded barbs, they did so at times with grins.
“Anyway, why are you talking to an old fart like me?,” the attendee asked Mr Bernardi.
“Because you started talking to me,” he replied.
“Did I? That was my mistake,” she said.
“Probably it was. You can go back to handing out propaganda,” he responded.
“I don’t hand it out. I’m only here to support,” she said.
When Mr Bernardi spoke to media, protesters loudly interjected, saying they were “disgusted by everything that you stand for” and that “students despise One Nation”.
Mr Bernardi said that “people have the right to protest, but they should be well-informed”.
“They’ve got intergenerational debt, house prices are unaffordable, taxes are out of control,” he said.
“We’ve got a massive problem in this country that they’re going to have to fix up and inherit, and unfortunately they’re not fit for the task.”
Protesters gathered on the steps of South Australian parliament to express opposition to One Nation. (ABC News: Sharne Wakefield)
Many attendees were students who had skipped school, and their chants included “no to Hanson” and “we love immigrants”.
“We don’t like Pauline Hanson and we don’t want her to win the election. We want to stand up for our beliefs,” 15-year-old Lucy Harrison said.
“Everyone should be allowed to live in Australia.”
Students in Adelaide showed their support for LGBTQI+ and First Nations communities. (ABC News: Sharne Wakefield)
A rally against One Nation in Bendigo attended by about 150 people took a turn when a crowd of teenagers began heckling protesters, shouting abuse and at one stage throwing a cup of coffee at demonstrators.
One of the protesters, a student named Renna, said the group of about 20 teenage boys had shouted racist and homophobic slurs as protesters marched past.
“There’s just been lots of people shouting slurs and a whole lot of other bigotry at us,” Renna said.
“Get a life honestly.”
About 150 people joined the rally in Bendigo on Thursday afternoon. (ABC News: Anna McGuinness)
Bendigo’s rally was organised by 17-year-old student Hamish Knight who said he was proud of his city and the turnout at the rally.
“It felt natural to organise a protest against Pauline Hanson,” he said.
“She’s got one of the lowest turnout attendance rate in the Senate. She fights for the billionaires and for herself, and that’s it.”
Politicians tell students to stay in school
In response to the rallies around the country, Ms Hanson said schools “should teach young Australians how to think, not what to think”.
“If you want to protest something, protest why your parents’ wages are going backwards and the cost of everything is going up,” the post said.
“The Labor Greens government is selling out your future, and you’ll inherit a weaker, poorer and less safe country.”
Earlier on Thursday, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll had a stern message for students thinking of attending the rally.
“You want to change the world, stay at school … focus on what your learning is in the classroom,” he said.
“I understand they’re angry with the sentiment and the policies of One Nation but the best way to change your future and the world is to get an education and to stay in school.”
Victorian One Nation MP Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell also spoke out against the protest, urging students to stay in school.
“You have an amazing future ahead of you, don’t waste it by listening to one group of people. Be critical, do your research and think about your future,” she said.