The most powerful images from the Black Lives Matter protests across Australia
It was an outpouring of pain, anger and solidarity on an immense scale - Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians walking side-by-side in their tens of thousands for real and lasting change.
Protesters took a knee at Sydney's Belmore Park and held a minute silence for Indigenous Australians who have died in custody. Source: AAP
Tens of thousands of people have gathered at Black Lives Matter protests across Australia's regional and capital cities, calling for an end to violence against Indigenous people.
The passionate rallies were inspired by the ongoing protests across the United States over the death of George Floyd, who died while being arrested in Minneapolis.
Demonstrators were told to stay home by the prime minister and authorities due to the risk of coronavirus, but they still took to the streets in large numbers to demand justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The nationwide demonstrations were overwhelmingly peaceful, aside from a confrontation in Sydney where police pepper sprayed a group of protesters.
#BLM appeared in skywriting in Sydney on Saturday morning. Source: AAPAboriginal elders conducted a traditional smoke ceremony at the beginning of the Sydney rally at Town Hall. Source: AAPA man in Sydney takes a knee and offers his hand to a police officer Source: AAPThese women were among the thousands of people to march in Sydney Source: SBS News: Nick Baker.Protesters carried signs with a powerful message for authorities and fellow Australians. Source: AAPPolice on horseback monitor the crowd in Sydney. One man, who was shouting "all lives matter", was taken away in handcuffs and later released. Source: AAPMore than 5,000 people packed Victoria Square in Adelaide, where police praised the organisers. Source: AAPFormer NRL player and Wiradjuri man Joe Williams takes a knee with protesters at Wagga Wagga. Source: Twitter: Joe WilliamsSerkalem Mulu, Achamyalesh Mulu and Mariam Kaba attended a vigil in Hobart Source: Sarah Maunder/SBS NewsA young girl with a simple message in Sydney Source: SBS News: Nick BakerThousands of protesters took a knee in Sydney at 4.32pm to mark the 432 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991. Source: AAPLeetona Dungay, whose son David Dungay Jr died in Long Bay jail in 2015, moments after the NSW Court of Appeal authorised the rally. Source: AAPHundreds of people participated in the Brisbane rally Source: AAPProtesters during the march in Brisbane Source: AAPProtesters in Melbourne gather in front of Flinders Street Station Source: AAPMany protesters, including these two in Melbourne, wore face masks. Source: AAPPolice spray protesters with pepper spray inside Sydney's Central Station after the rally. Source: AAP
