PHOTO ESSAY: Melbourne 2016 Invasion Day Protest & March

Dear friends,
please find below photos from the Melbourne 2016 Invasion Day protest.  The rally and march was organised by Warrior of the Aboriginal Resistance (WAR) and the turn out on the day was fantastic!! 

Although the mainstream media consistently under reported the rally as just a few hundred, more than 3000 people attended, making it one of the biggest Invasion Day rallies in years. Similar rallies were also held in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and elsewhere, attended by huge crowds (also in their thousands in Sydney).
 
The Melbourne rally took over several intersections along the way and also gate crashed the official route of the Australia Day rally.  The protest ended at Flinders St Station intersection, where people remained for approximately an hour.  The most popular chants on the day included: "No Pride In Genocide" and "Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land".

If you would like to use any of the photos below, please acknowledge/credit the photographer (ie.myself) and if possible this blog.

In solidarity, Kim
**

MELBOURNE 2016 INVASION DAY PROTEST & MARCH

All Photographs by Kim Bullimore

Marching down Bourke St in the Melbourne CBD.

Marching down Bourke St in the Melbourne CBD.

Marching down Bourke St in the Melbourne CBD.

Marching down Bourke St in the Melbourne CBD.

Stopping briefly at the Collin St intersection for speeches, having taken over the official Australia Day parade route.

Stopping briefly at the Collin St intersection for speeches, having taken over the official Australia Day parade route.

Stopping briefly at the Collin St intersection for speeches, having taken over the official Australia Day parade route.

Aboriginal activist, Meriki Onus at Collin St intersection, after rally/march had taken over the official Australia Day parade route.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags

Arriving at Flinders St Station Intersection - banner opposing the Forced Closure and ethnic cleansing of Aboriginal Communities in Western Australia.

Thousands soon fill Flinders St Station intersection, with people spilling up towards Federation Square to the left of the photo and thousands more filling La Trobe St to the right of the photo.

The intersection at Flinder St Station was completely filled, while thousands more were not able to enter, filling La Trobe St instead.

The crowd at the intersection spilled further up towards Federation square, while the intersection was filled and thousands more filled La Trobe St having marched up from Bourke St.

Steps of Victoria State Parliament, where the Invasion Day march began.

Victoria State Parliament

Victoria State Parliament

Victoria State Parliament