Anti-immigration and counter-protesters to rally in Melbourne’s CBD

Crowds of pro-immigration protesters arrived in the Melbourne CBD for a counter-rally against anti-immigration demonstrations in the Melbourne CBD.

Late Sunday morning, police were moving through a small crowd of pro-immigration protesters downtown.

The counter-protest was led by a procession of First Nations people who marched from Camp Sovereignty on Sunday morning.

Hundreds of people marched along Swanston Street, chanting “No hate, no fear, refugees welcome here” and “Nazi scum off our streets”.

Police talked to people wearing masks about designated area rules and used metal detectors to check bags as people made their way to the steps of the State Library.

Basil, a Palestinian, told the crowd at the State Library that the nationalist speeches put forward by those protesting immigration were created to divide people, but the counter-protest movement must remain united.

“These sick ideologies that see another human being as less equal and having fewer rights just because of their color, their ethnicity, are the most destructive ideology you can encounter,” he said.

“They want to start nationalism by dividing us into small groups with what they call divide and rule, and that’s exactly what they’re doing.

“We need to have a firm principle that if a human right is lost for any group of people, we must stand up and fight.”