In a powerful display of unity and resilience, thousands of Australians gathered at Invasion Day rallies across the country, demanding a change in the national holiday's date or its abolition. The day, officially commemorating the arrival of the First Fleet and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove in 1788, has long been a source of pain and reckoning for First Nations communities. The first Day of Mourning was held in 1938, marking a significant shift in how this day is perceived.
Despite the extreme heat, crowds braved the elements to show support for the Indigenous community at events held in major cities. In Sydney, Uncle Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, a Warlpiri elder from the Yuendumu community in the Northern Territory, addressed the rally, sharing the tragic story of his grandson's death in custody in Alice Springs last year. Kumanjayi White, a young man, lost his life after being restrained by police in a Coles supermarket.
"My grandson — my jaja — was strangled for one Coca-Cola," Uncle Ned said, his voice filled with emotion. "He didn't deserve to lose his life over one coke. We are losing too much of our loved ones. Not only that, our land has been taken away."
The crowd responded with a chorus of support, and Uncle Ned invited them to sing along with him, emphasizing his solidarity with the community.
In Melbourne, a dawn mourning service at Camp Sovereignty in the city's CBD attracted over a thousand people. Conducted by Woiwurrung and Boon Wurrung leaders, the service included speeches, traditional dances, songs in the Indigenous languages, and the reading of historical accounts of massacres against Aboriginal people.
Organizers called for January 26 to be a day for truth-telling and sharing culture, rather than celebration. Jaeden Williams, a Yalukit Willam man of the Boonwurrung, emphasized the day's significance, stating, "For our people, this is a day of deep mourning and remembering. It is about survival and resilience."
In Brisbane, the annual Invasion Day rally at Queens Gardens drew hundreds of people, who marched over Victoria Bridge to Musgrave Park. Community figures addressed the crowd, advocating for a change in the date of Australia's national celebration.
Adelaide saw thousands of protesters marching through the CBD, demanding a change in the date. The event marked January 26 as a day of mourning, with calls for a more inclusive national celebration.
Canberra witnessed a similar scene as hundreds of demonstrators protested outside Parliament House, chanting "Always was, always will be." The rally gained attention as a smaller group of March for Australia demonstrators was surrounded, leading to a police intervention to create a barrier between the two groups.
In Hobart, attendees at an Invasion Day rally on the lawn at Parliament House turned their backs on the parliament and raised their fists, chanting, "We won't stop, we won't go away, we won't celebrate invasion day." One attendee, Wajan, emphasized the importance of addressing history and trauma, stating, "I think it's an important part of being Australian, to acknowledge our past honestly."
The rallies across Australia serve as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for truth, justice, and respect for Indigenous communities. As the calls for change continue to echo, the nation grapples with its complex history, seeking a path towards reconciliation and a more inclusive future.
