The Invasion Day protest on January 26 in Sydney introduced 15,000-20,000 folks onto the streets after First Nations activists spoke and sung about many injustices in Belmore Park.
The rally known as for Australia Day to be abolished, the return of stolen land, an finish to Black deaths in custody and mass incarceration and the abolition of the racist “youngster safety” system that continues to steal Black youngsters in report numbers.
The Voice and what it could be and do was a giant dialogue.
“Sovereignty earlier than Voice” was the lead banner. Gumbaynngirr, Dhungutti and Bundjalung girl Lizzie Jarrett, who MCed the rally, requested: “How can we’ve got a Voice to Parliament after we are nonetheless at struggle with the parliament and when the federal government says they want a referendum to hearken to Aboriginal folks however do nothing as our persons are killed and our lands are destroyed?”
Protest organisers in Melbourne, Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance, mentioned: “twenty sixth January isn’t a day to rejoice. It’s an annual reminder of invasion, occupation, genocide and the continuing impacts of colonisation that continues to destroy our land and waters.”
Between 25,000-30,000 folks got here out, the big majority of which have been younger. “It has been 85 years since William Cooper, Jack Patten and different group leaders held the primary Day of Mourning at Sydney City Corridor on 26 January 1938.
“We discover ourselves in 2023 making the identical calls for. We’re sick of being ‘advisors’ on our personal lives, whereas the violent state continues to homicide us, lock us up, steal our kids, destroy our sacred land and tradition. As sovereign peoples, governments have to respect Aboriginal sovereignty, regulation, tradition and protocols, and negotiate on our phrases.”
Round 200 folks protested in Cairns, calling for Australia Day to be abolished and for treaty and justice.
At the very least 5000 folks protested in Adelaide within the metropolis’s largest protest motion in years.
