SYDNEY, Sun, 31 Aug 2025 – Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across major Australian cities today in coordinated “March for Australia” rallies opposing what organizers called “mass immigration,” leading to tense standoffs, arrests, and sharp rebukes from government officials amid a surge in far-right rhetoric.
The protests, held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, drew an estimated 15,000 participants in Sydney alone, where crowds waved Australian flags and chanted slogans like “send them back” under a heavy police presence. Organizers framed the events as a stand against high migration levels, which have exceeded 500,000 net arrivals annually in recent years, exacerbating housing shortages and cost-of-living pressures. Some far-right elements advocated for “remigration” policies, echoing European nationalist movements.
In Melbourne and Adelaide, violence erupted as anti-immigration groups clashed with counter-protesters from refugee advocacy and anti-racism organizations. Police deployed pepper spray to separate the factions, resulting in multiple arrests. Neo-Nazi speakers addressed crowds in Melbourne, drawing widespread condemnation for spreading hate. In Canberra, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson joined the rally, amplifying calls for stricter border controls and vowing to “put Australians first.”
Counter-rallies emphasized Australia’s multicultural heritage as a nation built by immigrants, with participants holding signs reading “Refugees Welcome” and “No Room for Racism.” The center-left federal government denounced the protests as divisive, with officials stating they undermine the country’s social fabric. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration has pledged to halve migration intake by next year, but critics on both sides argue the measures are insufficient to address public discontent.
The rallies come amid broader debates on immigration policy, with supporters praising the events as a “peaceful expression of frustration” while opponents labeled them “hate marches” fueled by misinformation. As tensions simmer, community leaders called for dialogue to preserve unity in one of the world’s most diverse societies.