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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Bageshri Savyasachi

Sovereignty Day rally: protesters occupy entrance to Parliament House, chant 'Free Palestine'

Protest leaders stormed towards Parliament House on Friday morning to occupy the entrance, mark January 26 as "Sovereignty Day" and demand a "free Palestine".

Police grabbed a couple of frontline activists to stop them from approaching the building but were unsuccessful as they continued running towards the entrance.

Hundreds of demonstrators walked behind the leaders, while police rushed to form a human barricade at the forecourt.

Officers lined up outside the doors to Parliament and watched as protesters sat down to rest their legs and hear activists speak.

ACT Policing said no arrests were made and estimated 600 people had been part of the crowd.

Protesters sat outside the doors to Parliament House on Friday morning. Picture by Elesa Kurtz

Onlookers and tourists on Capital Hill were taken by surprise on Australia Day, a date controversially celebrated in many metro cities.

The annual rally in Canberra, organised by the Tent Embassy, looked and sounded much different this year. The 2023 rally, led by organiser Leah House, expressed disapproval of the Voice to Parliament to be proposed in a referendum.

Ms House led marchers again this year while they raised Aboriginal and Palestinian flags side by side from Garema Place to their final destination at the Tent Embassy.

More to come

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