Thousands March Against Immigration in Australia, Europe

Thousands of people participated in the March for Australia rallies across multiple cities, protesting against current immigration policies by linking immigration to challenges such as housing affordability, overcrowded schools, and strained healthcare services. The federal Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, condemned the protests, highlighting attempts by far-right and neo-Nazi groups to exploit the events to spread extremist views, while police managed tensions and made several arrests during clashes with counter-protesters. Senator Pauline Hanson praised the rallies as peaceful demonstrations of national pride and unity, criticizing politicians for avoiding the issue and affirming that both native and new migrants should feel proud of Australian values. Authorities warned of the presence of extremist elements at the rallies and cautioned against allowing hatred and division to undermine social cohesion, emphasizing that Australia belongs to all its people. Meanwhile, counter-demonstrations by refugee advocates and community groups emphasized the positive role of immigration in addressing labor shortages and fostering diversity. The Australian Bureau of Statistics also cautioned that migration figures used in the debate may not accurately reflect the situation.