Rogue MP George Christensen has been slammed for attending an anti-vaccine mandate rally after livestreaming himself at the protest.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews scolded the controversial backbencher on Sunday.
“I don’t agree with many of the views that George has been espousing of late. I don’t think that it’s appropriate for him to be attending those sorts of rallies,” she told Insiders.
“But he is a member of Parliament, he can make his own decisions in relation to that.”
The minister rejected suggestions Mr Christensen fell into the category of “extremist”.
United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly also attended the rally on Saturday.
A massive crowd of protesters marched through Canberra to Old Parliament House – which is damaged from alleged arson during a separate rally – demanding an end to Covid restrictions.
Some chanted “no more mandates” and “save Australia”, while others yelled out “stick your vaccine passports up your arse”.
Mr Christensen livestreamed a message from the event.
“Thousands of people here from all walks of life,” Mr Christensen said in a lifestream over social media.
“They claim we’re fringe dwellers, but look at all the people here. All they’re wanting is for this nonsense to end.
Meanwhile Mr Kelly was seen among the crowd talking to people.
“We want our freedom back, we want these mandates to end, we want medical segregation to end, lockdowns, state border closures.”
Protesters are believed to have travelled from as far as north Queensland and Perth, inspired by large-scale truck driver protests in Canada.
The protesters have kept a steady presence in Canberra the past week, claiming they are there to hold the government to account.
Standing outside Old Parliament House, a man addressed the crowd and claimed the spirit of the ANZACs had arrived while demanding “Satan and his evil henchmen” leave the “big satanic building up on the hill.”
He told the crowd that their rights were being restored.
“In the vacuum created by the departure of evil, we invite the Holy Spirit and the angels of God to descend on this place to protect us,” he said.
“Please maintain your silence because this is a historic day – the 5th October 2022 will be a day to remember.
“Februarxjmtzywy 5th, sorry.”
The man also predicted the Prime Minister would not run at the next election, and that people had been “researching” what had been going on in Australia.
“We have a government that has been acting illegally since 1971, we have a government that has usurped its responsibility to its people in order to serve corporations,” he said.
A police estimate of the crowds at Saturday’s protest stands at more than 2000, with officers to maintain a presence at the rally until it tapers off.
Protesters carried Australian Red Ensign and Aboriginal flags, while Waltzing Matilda and True Blue blasted in the background.
A man on a megaphone called for no more vaccine passports and for politicians to be sacked, while protesters yelled out “save Australia”, “save our children” and “sack them all”.
The convoy set up outside the National Library of Canberra several days ago as part of the planned protests.
While the majority of the rallies have been peaceful, some protesters this week were capsicum sprayed and arrested as police attempted to clear the lawn outside of the library.
ACT police confirmed a woman had been arrested after allegedly assaulting officers, while two men, who allegedly interfered with her arrest were also charged.
Two people were treated for minor injuries.
