Thousands attend rallies across Australia to protest against mistreatment and deaths of Indigenous people

Thousands of people protested across Australia on Saturday to oppose the deaths of Indigenous people in police custody.

They followed Black Lives Matter protests held around the world in recent weeks after the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in the US state of Minneapolis.

Rallies kicked off in Brisbane and Adelaide, along with some regional centres.

Big crowds also gathered later Saturday afternoon for protests in Melbourne and Sydney — after the New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled in favour of a last-ditch attempt to lawfully authorise a Sydney protest.

The last-minute decision meant those marching in Sydney were immune from prosecution for breaching public health orders.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge announced the success of the appeal to resounding cheers from the crowd.

“This is one of those moments, when you fight the system, and it’s a system that’s been in place against First Nations people for centuries,” he said.

“But sometimes you have those moments when you have a win over the system.”

Tens of thousands people turned up to the rally, with organisers and volunteers seen handing out masks and pumping hand sanitiser into the hands of attendees.

Shanaya Donovan, a Gadigal woman, said she attended the protests despite the potential to be fined or jailed because she was constantly racially profiled.

“I’ve been followed around in Kmart, looking like I’m going to steal something,” she said.

“I’ve learned I have to go in my work uniform, so it doesn’t look like I’m going to take anything. I get stared at by police when I’m in public.”

NSW Police praise peaceful protests

It was a day of peaceful protests across Australia for the most part, but dozens of protesters clashed with police in Sydney’s Central Station after the official event had finished.

A loudspeaker announcement warned protesters if they did not leave the area, they would be arrested.

Police used pepper spray on several people and arrested a man, though police have not confirmed what charges he faces.

Police had been trying to move crowds onto trains home, but came up against stiff resistance from dozens of people.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing, the operation commander in Sydney, said there were positive reports from across the state.

He said there were only three arrests — a 15-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man for an alleged affray and a 51-year-old man for a breach of the peace — among 20,000 protesters in Sydney.

“I have spoken with commanders who have said they are pleased that all their protests were essentially peaceful,” Assistant Commissioner Willing said.

“Initially, we had a tough job in Sydney as the police operation was already underway when the Supreme Court decision was overturned, but we rapidly changed plans to ensure the event would run smoothly.

“There were some concerns raised by officers on the ground around physical distancing, and while some people were spoken to, no formal police action was required.”

Melbourne protest organisers fined for rally breaching coronavirus restrictions

As the protest got underway in Melbourne, organisers asked the crowd, estimated to also be around 10,000 people, to spread out along Bourke and Spring Streets to ensure social distancing.

Protest marshals wearing fluoro vests were giving people hand sanitiser as they entered the parliamentary precinct.

Victoria Police will fine each of the organisers of the Melbourne protest for holding the gathering in “breach of the Chief Health Officer’s directions”.

They will be fined $1,652 each and police sai