The Australian flag has been burnt as part of a rally in Brisbane to “abolish the monarchy”.
Indigenous protesters set the Australian flag alight outside the British consulate in Brisbane on the day of mourning Elizabeth II.Credit:Twitter/Lilly McKenzie
Footage and photographs posted online show some of the protesters, from the Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance, burning the Australian flag, reportedly outside the British consulate.
Protesters gathered in the CBD about midday at Queen Elizabeth Park, before marching through to Eagle Street.
The group said the rally was a demonstration “against racist colonial imperialism”, and a stance “against the continued crimes committed against marginalised First Nations, black, brown and Asian communities”, following the announcement of September 22 being made a public holiday for mourning Queen Elizabeth.
Wayne Wharton, who participated in the rally of several hundred people strong, said the public holiday for the Queen was a “total waste of time”.
“Tell me how many public holidays we have to remember the atrocities against the Aboriginal people? Is there one public holiday?
“I don’t think there’s one that has an orientation towards First Nations people, but the government, at its whim, can hold a public holiday representative of a nation that’s responsible for invading 179 countries.
“It’s really sad.
