Alleged neo-Nazis crash protest as thousands gather for ‘Invasion Day’ and ‘Survival Day’ protests

Alleged neo-Nazis have reportedly crashed an Invasion Day protest in Adelaide as thousands of people gather across the country to attend the protests, with some areas brought to a standstill. ‘Invasion Day’ and ‘Survival Day’ rallies have kicked off in most capital cities on Sunday, with earlier reports suggested that more than 30,000 anti-Australia Day and pro-Palestine protesters could take to the streets in Melbourne’s CBD. Alleged Neo-Nazis have reportedly been spotted at a protest in Adelaide, according to the Adelaide Advertiser. The masthead reported a Survival Day event at Tartanya Wama (Elder Park) was delayed by about 20 minutes due their appearance. A South Australia Police spokesperson said several arrests had been made. “Police can confirm a number of arrests have been made and are unrelated to the Survival Day March. “The individuals are in the process of being charged and more details will be provided when known.” South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens earlier issued a warning police would take a “very strong position” in relation to right-wing extremist protests. “The issue with protest activity associated with right-wing extremism … we’ll be taking a very strong position in relation that, there are special powers that permit us to take action for anyone who displays, publishes or brandishes a Nazi symbol or displays the Nazi salute and we will take … action should we identify any behaviour of that type,” Commissioner Grant said. White supremacists also allegedly crashed a Melbourne protest, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting about 50 counter-protesters were spotted at Olympic Park Oval and marching down Olympic Park Boulevard. Victoria Police declined to comment on whether white supremacists were present. Streets brought to a standstill The protests have disrupted businesses and traffic across most affected cities, with numerous roads closed and public transport brought to a standstill in some areas, including trams along Spring St in Melbourne. “A slow-moving demonstration is marching through the CBD, causing disruptions to traffic and tram services at times. Please be patient and follow the directions of Victoria Police,” a VicTraffic alert stated. Heavy traffic conditions have also been reported in Sydney suburbs including Haymarket, Chippendale, and Camperdown, with rolling road closures prompting a warning to commuters to expect delays and avoid the area. The L1, L2 and L3 light rail services have been affected, while buses to and from the city will be diverting and using different stops while roads are closed. Broadway is closed in both directions between Glebe Point Rd and Regent St, as well as City Rd between Cleveland St and Broadway. Abercrombie St between Cleveland St and Broadway has also been closed, according to Live Traffic NSW, as well as George St between Lee St and Pitt St; Pitt St between George St and Campbell St; Regent St between Cleveland St and Lee st northbound; local roads adjoining Broadway Pitt St and George St. Clearways will also be in effect on Broadway and George St between 10am and 1pm. “Stand together”: Calls for unity as hundreds gather in Sydney Thousands of protesters have marched across Sydney on Sunday. Crowds have been marching with banners, signs and flags and chanting “always was, always will be Aboriginal land”, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald. An earlier statement posted to social media about the event, run by Blakcaucus, urged people to: “Join us to honour our survival, demand justice, and fight for the liberation of all First Nations”. “January 26 marks the beginning of colonisation on our lands, leading to the violent dispossession of our ancestors and the continued oppression of our people today. The injustices we face are stark and ongoing.” The protest began in Belmore Park and make its way to the Yabun Festival in Redfern, building to a thousands-strong crowd. Roads were closed to make way for the protest, while Yothu Yindi’s 1991 song Treaty was heard playing before the Sydney protest kicked off. Police were on scene, as per the Sydney Morning Herald. Great Aussie Debate 2025 Speakers discussed Indigenous deaths in custody, missing and murdered Indigenous women, land rights and treaty, according to the ABC. Rally organiser Paul Silva told the ABC the current government system wasn’t working for First Nations people and non-Indigenous people. “First Nations people are up on the top of the list to be tagged, targeted,” Mr Silva said. “But the reality of it is, is that we need to come together, unite, and hold this system accountable and stand together and come as one.” Mr Silva also put a call out to “abolish the government … the system, return the land back to Aboriginal people” during an address at the rally. He said Indigenous Australians were “still exposed to systemic issues” under the government, but said Indigenous Australians were not “f***ing going nowhere”.They could f***ing chuck an atomic bomb over here and we’d still f***ing rise up,” Mr Silva said, according to the Australian. Massive crowds gather in Melbourne Stores were shut along Swanston St in Melbourne as thousands of protesters gathered outside Parliament House on Spring St on Sunday morning, according to the Daily Mail. Photos captured the enormous crowd, which stretched down Spring St and flowed into Bourke St, with protesters holding up signs. “I live on stolen land,” one sign read. A smoking ceremony took place before the protest began, according to the Herald Sun. Trams have come to a halt along Spring St and are expected to resume about 4pm, the masthead reported. Protesters were allegedly chanting “F*** the police”, according to the Daily Mail. A small protest also formed outside Government house, with protesters spotted sporting “Always was, always will be” scarfs and signs. Crowds also gathered in Brisbane on Sunday morning. Many were spotted with Indigenous flags, heading out despite temperatures tipped to hit a high of 31C. A rally in Canberra also gathered in front of Old Parliament House. People held up signs that read “You wouldn’t steal a country” and “White Australia has a blak history”. Statues of former PM’s decapitated, vandalised The planned protests come after the statues of two former Australian prime ministers were decapitated while another of Captain Cook was splashed with red paint earlier this week. Busts of former Labor leaders Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd were vandalised in Victoria’s northwest on Thursday, with about 20 statues in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens also damaged. The estimated damage was more than $140,000. A Captain Cook statue was also vandalised in Sydney on Friday morning, with red paint splashed all over it. The Randwick Captain Cook statue was also vandalised last February, while another Captain Cook statue was cut off from the ankles in Victoria last year ahead of Australia Day, two years after the same statue was covered in red paint. The St Kilda statue was scrawled with the words “the colony will fall” ahead of the controversial public holiday in 2024, while a Queen Victoria monument was also covered in red paint. However it remained unclear whether the most recent vandalism was related to Australia Day protests. Victoria Police are also investigating an incident in Ringwood North after two ceremonial flags were stolen, while the stage of a citizenship ceremony along the Maroondah Highway was vandalised about 2am on Saturday. The marquee was spray-painted with messages including “The colony will fall” and “Always was Always will be”. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has footage or information was urged to come forward. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan earlier urged protesters to keep away from the Australian Open, and said disruption to the tournament could “really break the patience of the public”. “To target the Australian Open would be a disgusting act,” Ms Allan said, according to the Herald Sun. She said police would be out “in large numbers”, and said “no one should be using that right to peacefully protest and going in with the intent to cause violence”.Ms Allan also said respect went “both ways”. “We’ve got to make sure that for those who want to acknowledge the day in their own way have the space to do that,” she said. More to come.