Swastika signs and an effigy of a schoolgirl in a coffin with a vaccine in her arm were on show on Saturday as thousands of protesters rallied against Covid lockdowns and vaccines.
Protesters swarmed Australia’s capital cities and regional centres including Newcastle, Cairns, Broome and Mt Gambier as part of a so-called “worldwide rally for freedom”.
The Melbourne event attracted the biggest crowd, with more than 5000 people walking from Parliament House through the CBD to Carlton Gardens.
Signs with slogans such as “my body my choice”, “save our children”, “free Victoria”, “fake news”, “be fab stop the jab” and “unvaxxed sperm is the next bitcoin” dominated the streetscape as traffic came to a standstill.
Disturbingly, one man was spotted marching with a sign showing a white swastika placed over a black mask.
Another person held what appeared to be a small coffin with “Aussie Kid 2017-22 RIP” written on it.
Inside the coffin was a Barbie doll dressed as a schoolgirl, wearing a mask emblazoned with the word “killed”, while a needle labelled “vaccine” hung from her arm.
In a video posted to social media, protesters chided onlookers who were wearing masks, yelling “take off your mask”.
Outside Victoria Police headquarters, protesters chanted “you serve us”, blew whistles and yelled “freedom” as a line of police stared them down.
The crowd was more subdued in Sydney, where an estimated 2000 protesters gathered at Strathfield train station and walked to Burwood Park where numerous speakers, including controversial United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly, addressed the audience.
Protesters were spotted with signs that said “wake up Australia”, “we don’t need no vaccination”, while one woman in a Donald Trump hat smiled as she held a sign saying “stop medical apartheid, shame on you Merrylands RSL”.
Police were out in force at the rallies, however spokeswomen from Victoria and NSW Police said no arrests had been made on Saturday afternoon.
Officers continued to maintain a presence as crowds dispersed.
