Australians hold ‘Invasion Day’ protests to mark contentious national holiday
- Protests took place in several cities, including Sydney and Adelaide, where many carried Aboriginal flags and called for the abolition of the national holiday
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese honoured Australia’s Indigenous people at a ceremony, but ruled out plans to change the holiday’s date
Thousands of Australians marked the country’s national day celebrations on Thursday with rallies in support of Indigenous people, many of whom describe the anniversary of the day a British fleet sailed into Sydney Harbour as “Invasion Day”.
Similar protests took place in other Australian state capitals, including in South Australia’s Adelaide where around 2,000 people attended, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Speaking at a flag-raising and citizenship ceremony in Australia’s capital, Canberra, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese honoured the nation’s Indigenous people, who have occupied the land for at least 65,000 years.
“Let us all recognise the unique privilege that we have to share this continent with the world’s oldest continuous culture,” Albanese said.
While it was a “difficult day” for Indigenous Australians, there were no plans to change the holiday’s date, he said.
Indigenous activist Paul Silva, speaking to a crowd of thousands at an “Invasion Day” rally in central Sydney, said the national holiday should be abolished.