Part of the Sydney “Invasion Day” rally, January 26, 2026In Melbourne, at least 30,000 people turned out, with around 20,000 in Sydney and several thousand in other capitals across the country. Fearing a backlash, the police permitted the Invasion Day rallies to occur. Dwarfed by the official Invasion Day protests, the March for Australia events featured anti-immigrant racism and fascistic demagogy, including of a genuinely antisemitic character. The Invasion Day rallies unfolded against this backdrop, yet not a single prominent speaker on the official platforms advanced a perspective for fighting the assault on democratic rights. A section of the Melbourne “Invasion Day” protest, January 26, 2026The line was most explicit in Melbourne.