nativeundercover: deliciousfriend: Over 3000 people rallied and marched in Brisbane city on Saturday 2nd of May to protest the forced...
Over 3000 people rallied and marched in Brisbane city on Saturday 2nd of May to protest the forced closures of Aboriginal communities in Australia and the ongoing disposession, abuse and genocide that the First Nations people are subjected to.
The protest began with a rally in King George Square at 1pm. As always, those who got up to speak were incredibly inspiring and strong. Then the protest moved to the streets with a march around Brisbane CBD, stopping at each intersection to celebrate the worlds longest continuing cultures with music and dance. #cultureeverywhere
The march moved through Queen Street Mall and back to King George Square where a group of about 100-200 dedicated activists, including children, stormed into and occupied Brisbane City Hall. The police blocked the doors so no more protesters could come in, and told the protestors that they had the authority to forcibly remove them from the property (though they would prefer not to). The police emphasised the need for peace, that they didn’t want any damage or violence. This was almost laughable to the protestors, who were entirely dedicated to peace and are in fact protesting the ongoing violence committed against them since the beginning of Colonial Australia.
The police attempted to find and address a leader of the group, but the group asserted that there was no leader, we are in this together, and yes of course we are (and will be) peaceful.
Eventually, the protesters started to chant “WE WANT THE MEDIA”, in a bid to get their true words, intentions and experiences across. It was negotiated with the police that there would be some media let in if the protesters would leave after the interviews.
The majority of the protesters left peacefully after the interviews, while some stayed behind to continue making a stand while they waited to see if the media would report any of their story, hopefully in a positive light. The coverage from the media was poor, with 10 second clips being shown here and there, and a few write ups that weren’t entirely racist and misunderstanding.
More photos at Resistance Photography Brisbane
More information at SOSBLAKAUSTRALIAI’m super annoyed it’s not being talked about because it is one of the best and strongest protests that have happened recently in Australia. I’m so proud.
