![\"Anti-\u201cStop](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/6011f7b567d0e9024c9cc9699ee22bc2f9d02ca2.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nAnti-racism rally organisers claim as many as 10,000 people gathered outside Flinders Street Station, but police estimate 2500 people joined the separate marches across the city.<\/p>\n
Both protests splintered into smaller groups by mid-afternoon, funnelling down Bourke and Little Bourke streets, before facing off on Swanston Street where there were several altercations.<\/p>\n
Police deployed capsicum spray several times, including on one man sprayed in the face at close range.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Anti-\u201cStop Mass Immigration\u201d protesters in the CBD.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui<\/p>\n
The anti-racism rallies, organised by a coalition of groups, opened with messages of unity from speakers as thousands gathered at the steps of Flinders Street Station. \u201cWe love everybody, we have no division, we welcome everybody,\u201d an organiser said.<\/p>\n
The vast majority of protesters who marched from Flinders Street to the edge of Spring Street were peaceful, waving Aboriginal, Palestinian and LGBTQ+ flags, and leading chants including \u201cNazi scum off our streets\u201d and \u201calways was, always will be Aboriginal land\u201d.<\/p>\n
Similarly, the overwhelming majority of protesters outside parliament were peaceful, although agitators were present in both groups.<\/p>\n
Omar Ahsan, an activist and organiser, said the anti-racism rally was co-ordinated in response to the \u201cterrifying\u201d mobilisation of neo-Nazis and far-right extremism demonstrated at the \u201cMarch For Australia\u201d on August 31, and involved different groups to those who had organised today\u2019s anti-government rallies.<\/p>\n
Ahsan was concerned by the large police presence. \u201cIt\u2019s fairly shocking that people have been stopped and searched simply for attending a demonstration against the assault on Camp Sovereignty and [in support of] pro-migration and anti-racism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never seen that happen in my 20 years as an organiser and activist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many protesters leading the anti-racism rallies disparaged police, including one individual who held a paper mache pig dressed in a Victoria Police uniform. There were also accusations of officers unfairly targeting protesters.<\/p>\n
Some officers from the public order response wore protective gear and carried guns that fire rubber bullets. Previous victims of rubber bullets<\/a> have suffered serious injury, disability and death, and the use of so-called \u201cless lethal\u201d weapons has attracted fierce criticism for years.<\/p>\n Protesters outside parliament waved the Australian flag and wore Australian flag-themed apparel.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui<\/p>\n Outside the Victorian parliament, protesters packed the intersection of Bourke and Spring streets. Most carried Australian flags, were draped in them, or wore garb and accessories bearing the flag. Several described themselves as \u201cwhite and proud\u201d.<\/p>\n![\"Protesters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/f0b3e0db514e44a04a2acbd763a14aefc8d09530.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n