AUSTRALIA — On Invasion Day 2026 — the annual day of protest that coincides with Australia Day and highlights the ongoing impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — hundreds of thousands of Australians took to the streets in major cities for marches and rallies. But in Perth’s central business district, celebrations of resistance were disrupted when police investigated what appeared to be a device thrown into a crowd at a protest, forcing evacuation and raising serious safety concerns. The incident occurred amid otherwise large-scale demonstrations across the nation, underscoring both the fervour of public expression and the challenges of maintaining public safety during highly charged events.
Explosive Suspicion at Perth Rally
In Perth’s Forrest Place — a focal point for this year’s Invasion Day rally — a device believed to contain ball bearings, screws, and an unknown liquid in a glass container was allegedly thrown into the crowd near the stage during a protest. Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch described the object as “very rudimentary” and about the **size of a medium coffee cup,” noting that it did not detonate but was treated as a potential explosive threat.
Police swiftly evacuated hundreds of demonstrators and established an exclusion zone, urging passersby to avoid the area while officers conducted a grid search of the scene. Authorities took a 31-year-old man into custody, who was assisting with inquiries as searches continued at his home in Perth’s northern suburb of Warwick.
Blanch stressed that while it was too early to determine the suspect’s motive, he did not believe there was any ongoing threat to the community later in the evening. The unknown liquid in the device remained under forensic analysis.
Invasion Day Protests Across Australia
Beyond Perth, Invasion Day marches drew tens of thousands of participants in cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane, where rallies focused on Indigenous rights, truth-telling, cultural recognition and calls for a royal commission into systemic racism. Speakers at these events emphasised the historical and continued injustices experienced by First Nations peoples.
In Sydney’s Hyde Park, massive crowds gathered for demonstrations against the celebration of January 26 as Australia Day, and marched to Victoria Park calling attention to issues such as land repatriation and deaths in custody.
In Melbourne, organised marches underscored similar themes. Police in Victoria were constrained by a recent federal court ruling limiting stop-and-search powers at protest sites — a development organisers said helped keep participation peaceful.
Events Marked by Broader Social Tensions
As large-scale demonstrations took place, other politically charged events occurred simultaneously in several cities. “March for Australia” anti-immigration rallies attracted thousands, drawing criticism for the presence of far-right and extremist voices. In Sydney, a man was arrested for allegedly delivering antisemitic remarks aligned with neo-Nazi ideology at an open-mic segment of an anti-immigration protest, further intensifying scrutiny of Australia’s public discourse around race and nationalism.
The convergence of contrasting demonstrations on the same day manifested deep societal divides — not just over colonial legacy, but also around immigration, national identity and free speech.
Indigenous Voices and National Reflection
For many Indigenous Australians and their allies, the marches were an annual opportunity to reframe January 26 as “Invasion Day” rather than Australia Day, highlighting the pain and dispossession associated with colonisation. Across rallies, Indigenous leaders and supporters reiterated calls for truth-telling, constitutional recognition and meaningful reconciliation.
Despite the high turnout and emotional engagement, organisers and participants condemned the threat incident in Perth as antithetical to the spirit of peaceful protest. The disruption underscored the tension between legitimate public expression and the imperative of ensuring safety during mass gatherings.
Police and Government Response
Authorities deployed significant resources across multiple states to manage crowds and respond to safety challenges. In Perth, the rapid response by WA Police — including crowd evacuation and exclusion zone establishment — was credited with preventing greater harm, with no reported injuries linked to the device incident.
Government leaders, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, used the day to call for national unity amid spirited demonstrations. Politicians from several states condemned violence and hate speech, while acknowledging the validity of calls for social justice and Indigenous rights.
Moving Forward
The device incident in Perth remains the subject of an active police investigation, including forensic analysis and interviews as authorities attempt to understand its origins and intent.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Australians nationwide engaged in Invasion Day activities without incident, underscoring both the resilience of multicultural civic engagement and the evolving nature of public protest in contemporary Australia. As communities digest the events and reflect on the varied messages conveyed on January 26, the blending of cultural commemoration, political discourse and public safety concerns highlights the complex dynamics shaping national identity in the 21st century.
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