Australia: Thousands attend protests across multiple cities on July 4 /update 3

Event

Thousands of protesters gathered across Australia on Saturday, July 4, to protest in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Rallies are taking place across the country including the cities of Brisbane (Queensland), Darwin (Northern Territory), and Perth (Western Australia). The organizers of the demonstrations announced that the protests were a continuation of the global protests surrounding the death of African-American George Floyd.

Protests have continued despite warnings from officials of large gatherings exacerbating the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the country. Despite a heavy police presence at most protests, demonstrations remained largely peaceful and took place mainly in public parks and main streets.

Further associated protests may occur in Australia in the coming days.

Context

George Floyd died while being arrested by Minneapolis police officers on May 25. The four arresting police officers were subsequently fired, and one has since been charged with murder. Black Lives Matter (BLM) supporters gathered on May 26 to denounce the death and actions of the police officers. Clashes ensued between protesters and riot police; with demonstrators throwing bricks and projectiles at police and police property, and police responding with tear gas and rubber bullets as they attempted to disperse the crowds. Protests have since spread to a number of cities across the US, with solidarity protests taking place throughout the world.

Advice

Individuals in Australia are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all protests and demonstrations, anticipate a heightened security presence and transportation disruptions, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.