TRANSCRIPT
- Police deployed to separate rival protests in Australia's capital cities and regional centres
- The widow of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk speaks out
- Australian Jai Hindley closing in on a podium finish at the Vuelta a Espana
Rival protests have been held in Australia's capital cities and regional centres, with police deployed to separate the rally attendees to prevent clashes.
It comes two weeks after anti-immigration rallies were attended by a number of neo-Nazis, with arrests made in Melbourne over an alleged attack on an Indigenous sacred site - called Camp Sovereignty.
In Melbourne, about 150 police officers, including members of the riot squad, separated two protests near state Parliament House.
Addressing thousands assembled at an Indigenous sovereignty march in Melbourne, Wurundjeri woman Dr Mandy Nicholson says it is important to stand up against hate.
"From the Elders and our ancestors they give us that foundation to be able to say: we will fight against any hatred. We will fight until the next generation has to fight, the next generation has to fight, until we don't have to fight any more."
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In Sydney a large group of protesters have marched through the CBD under the banner Australia Unites Against Government Corruption.
The rally brings together several protest groups with a variety of grievances, covering cost-of-living pressures, declining health outcomes, anti-corruption, anti-vaccine concerns, and anti-immigration.
Many in the crowd waved Australian flags - or had it wrapped around them.
This protester says he is not happy with the current government.
"Because I am Australian and I'm here with my Australian friends, and I want to celebrate this country as it is - with its people and its culture; with a government that can do its job properly. Albo, you're not doing your job properly, mate."
Police say there were no serious incidents or injuries during the protests. One man was arrested for breaching the peace and removed.
Similar rallies were also organised in capital cities around Australia; and other locations including Cairns.
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New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has urged those attending rival protests to remain respectful and to refrain from adding to tensions that could spill over into political violence.
"And as the leader of the state, I am going to do everything I can with New South Wales Police that if anyone crosses that line - and their opinion jumps from just an opinion into forcing someone to believe it trying to assault someone because they don't believe it; we're going throw the book at you. If you're going to have a protest, have your protest, have your say. Don't try and assault someone. Political violence has no role or place in Australia. And we need to confront it wherever we see it."
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Only hours remain before polls close at 6pm in the New South Wales byelection in the seat of Kiama.
About 60,000 voters will chose from among 13 candidates to replace Gareth Ward, who resigned just before a bipartisan vote to expel him from parliament after his sexual assault convictions.
Before the then-Liberal MP won the seat in 2011, Labor had held it for the three decades from its re-establishment, putting the party in a good position to wrench the electorate back.
Today's vote could return a historically red seat to Labor hands, but the Coalition has said it won't go down without a fight.
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The widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has spoken publicly for the first time since her husband's assassination at Utah Valley University.
Police have apprehended 22-year-old suspect Tyler Robinson over the shooting.
They say a family friend approached police after the suspect confided in his father.
Speaking in a livestream from her husband's Turning Point USA office, Erika Kirk says she is determined his message and mission will be louder and greater than ever.
"They killed Charlie because he preached a message of patriotism, faith, and of God's merciful love. They should all know this: If you thought that my husband's mission was powerful before, you have no idea. You have no idea what you just have unleashed across this entire country and this world."
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In cycling, Australian Jai Hindley is within reach of a podium finish at the Vuelta a España, with only two stages remaining in the race.
Belgium's Jasper Philipsen won stage 19, crossing the finish line after a bunch sprint.
The overall standings have Hindley in fourth place, 39 seconds behind Tom Pidcock.
Jonas Vingegaard is the overall leader.
At the end of stage 19, Philipsen says that final stretch took a lot out of him.
"Yeah, it was a really, really tough finish line. Definitely after 11 days not going as deep, it hurts. Yeah, we knew what it was going to be like. The final 250 meters was more flat. But before (that), the team did an amazing pull and an amazing timing towards the last kilometre and it was just the final kilometre allowed."
