Mon Jan 27 11:07:54 IST 2025: ## Tens of Thousands Protest Australia Day as Indigenous Rights Remain a Focal Point

**Sydney, Australia –** Australia Day, January 26th, saw tens of thousands of Australians take to the streets in protests across the country, highlighting the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights. While many celebrated the national holiday commemorating the 1788 arrival of British colonisers with barbecues and beach trips, Indigenous Australians and their allies marked the day as “Invasion Day,” a remembrance of the dispossession, massacres, and systemic oppression faced by the continent’s First Nations people.

Protests in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne drew large crowds, with demonstrators carrying signs such as “Abolish the Date” and “No Pride in Genocide.” Protesters cited the high incarceration rates, poor health outcomes, and ongoing injustices faced by Indigenous Australians, whose ancestry dates back 60,000 years. One protester, Andrew Baker, expressed his bewilderment at celebrating a day that marked the beginning of suffering for Indigenous people. Tammy Miller, an Indigenous woman, described the day as one of mourning and emphasized the need to raise awareness about continued injustices.

In the lead-up to the holiday, several acts of vandalism targeted statues and monuments associated with colonial history, further underscoring the depth of feeling surrounding the date.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, while presiding over a citizenship ceremony, acknowledged the shared responsibility of Australians to safeguard social cohesion and uphold fairness for all, including the country’s oldest continuous culture.

Despite a recent survey indicating growing support for retaining January 26th as the national day (up to 61%), the issue remains highly divisive. The ongoing disparity in life expectancy, incarceration rates, unemployment, and education levels between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians underscores the urgent need for continued action to address historical and contemporary injustices. The deep divisions surrounding the date are further highlighted by the recent defeat of a constitutional referendum on Indigenous rights reforms.

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