January 26 becomes ‘Division Day’ as thousands flood cities rallying for day of mourning

Thousands of Australians are mobilizing to reschedule Australia Day across the country, and what was once a nondescript day on the calendar is now Division Day.

Protesters took to the streets with organized marches in every state and territory on Thursday, as many chose not to mark the national holiday and protested on the holiday to mark the date the First Fleet landed at Sydney Cove.

Crowds gathered early in the morning in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and all three rallies featured the theme ‘sovereignty before Voice’, in response to the Federal Government’s proposal for Voice to Parliament.

The rally in Sydney opened with a smoking ceremony, followed by traditional dancing and a recognition of the country by Uncle Dave Bell.

Counter-protesters were seen standing outside the demonstration in Belmore Park, with a woman pictured holding a “Support Australia Day” sign.

The police also intervened and asked the group to disperse and said they would be given an address if they did not comply with the request.

Speakers made calls for indigenous sovereignty and criticized the referendum for an Indigenous Voice in Parliament.

Activist and Dunghutti, Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung woman, Aunt Lizzie Jarrett told attendees to vote no.

“Liberal, Labour, the system is not for black people,” he said as the crowd cheered in response.

‘We don’t want a voice, we have a voice. We don’t want a white wash.

‘When the time comes. Vote ‘no’ on the referendum. Don’t come here and check a box.

Ms Jarrett also told the NSW Police officers gathered at the rally that they did not need her protection.

The activist called Australia Day “dead” and compared it to the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

We protect each other. This is sovereignty day, Australia Day is dead,” said Ms Jarrett.

‘Like Queen Lizzie, Australia Day is dead with her. Will you support us? If she does, when the referendum comes, throw it in the ground like Australia.

Green MP Mehreen Faruqi is present at the march and posted footage of the smoking ceremony on Twitter.

“Today I join the people of the First Nations in marking January 26 as Invasion Day, as I have done for many years. It is a day of mourning,” Ms. Faruqi wrote.

‘We are asking for justice for First Nations and we are asking for a Treaty in this country.’

Green NSW upper house candidate and Wiradjuri woman Linda June Coe called Indigenous Voice in Parliament a ‘fallacy’.

She told the crowd at Belmore Park that the Invasion Day rally was a day of reckoning for White Australia.

“White Australia, this is the reckoning: 235 years and we’re not going anywhere,” he said.

‘They tried to kill us, still here. They tried to raise us, still here. They tried to commit genocide against us, still here!

‘Brisbane, Melbourne, we are all mobilizing against the fallacy of constitutional recognition. My people, this is the voice.

Indigenous anti-mining activist Adrian Burragubba called the government voice’s plan patronizing and a form of assimilation.

“This is like a paternalistic attitude, all the time, of telling us, ‘We know what’s best for you and we’ll tell you what’s right,'” he said.

‘We don’t want to be assimilated into a constitution written by white people.’

Hundreds of people endured temperatures of 27°C wearing clothing with the aboriginal flag.

The signs read “we deserve more than a voice” and “vote no to the referendum.”

The sails of the Sydney Opera House were lit with indigenous artwork by proud Kamilaroi woman and artist, Rhonda Sampson, to celebrate First Nations women around the water of Sydney Harbour.

Ahead of the protest, hundreds gathered in Barangaroo for the morning WugulOra ceremony to honor First Nations people and reflect on what the day means to them.

An ancient smoking ceremony was held to “clear the way for new beginnings” and to celebrate the world’s oldest living culture through dance, music and language.

Attendees witnessed special performances by Aboriginal dancers and singers from the Torres Strait Islands, including the Koomurri Aboriginal dance troupe.

A march also started in Canberra at Garema Place, with hundreds of people gathering in the sunshine at 9:30am.

A sign hanging in the park reads “Self Determination, No Incarceration.”

Meanwhile, there was no city-wide Australia Day parade for the third year in a row, as thousands of people poured into the streets in solidarity with First Nations people.

The huge crowd gathered in front of the Victorian State Parliament on Bourke Street in the city’s CBD for the annual Invasion Day celebration.

The crowd, which numbered in the thousands, erupted in cheers as a speaker declared ‘f**k Australia Day’.

Uncle Gary Foley was the first speaker at the rally, he blasted The Voice’s proposal before parliament labeling it ‘lipstick on a pig’.

In Cairns, protesters began marching from Fogarty Park at 9am and walked through the city holding a banner reading “Abolition Australia Day”.

The crowd could be heard chanting: ‘What do we want? Treaty. When do we want it? Now’.

Protests are planned across all states and territories, with Brisbane starting at 10am from Queens Gardens, Hobart starting at 10:45am, Darwin starting at 10:30am, Adelaide starting at noon, Perth from 12pm and Melbourne at 11am from Victoria Parliament House.

Non-indigenous Australians have been celebrating what is known as ‘Australia Day’ for 29 years.

The day is historic and has deep cultural significance to Indigenous Australians and is an opportunity to advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody.