Immigration protests divide Australia, spark clashes

Australia witnessed stark social divisions as thousands of protestors participated in “March for Australia” rallies.

The protestors demand a five-year pause on immigration, while the federal government condemned the events as hate-filled.

The government also associated the rallies with neo-Nazi elements.

Major cities including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane observed the protests that were fueled by growing public angst over a severe housing crisis, cost-of-living pressures, and strained public infrastructure.

In Sydney, approximately 8000 people participated in the protest, many draped in Australian flags, gathered to argue that record-level immigration is overwhelming the nation.

The Labour government gave a swift and severe response, with tensions and clashes marking the protests. 

Cabinet Minister Murray Watt unequivocally condemned the rallies.

Talking to Sky News, he said, “We don’t support rallies like this that are about spreading hate and that are about dividing our community.”

Watt also claimed that these events are preplanned and promoted by neo-Nazi groups.

In Melbourne, the aerial footage of a protest showed that riot police deployed pepper spray on a large crowd.

Counter protests have also emerged with the Refugee Action Coalition in Sydney showing “disgust and anger about the far right agenda.”

The protests represent a deepening national debate over identity and policy in a diverse society like Australia, where it is claimed that half of the population is born overseas or has a parent who was.

The events also tested new laws banning the Nazi salute and hate symbols, enacted earlier this year in response to a rise in anti-Semitic incidents.