Thousands of anti-lockdown protesters gathered in Australia's two biggest cities on Saturday amid a deteriorating COVID-19 situation in the country.
Dozens of protesters were arrested after an unauthorised march flouted public health orders in Sydney, while several confrontations with police broke out during the hours-long rally.
Thousands also crowded several streets in Melbourne after gathering outside the state parliament in the early afternoon.
Australia's most populous state of SW, with Sydney as the capital city, recorded on Saturday a new high of 163 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, a jump from the previous day's 136.
Protesters holding placards take part in a rally in Melbourne on July 24, 2021, as scores of anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination activists gathered to demonstrate in Australias two largest cities. (Photo by CON CHRONIS / AFP)
Protesters holding placards take part in a rally in Melbourne on July 24, 2021, as scores of anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination activists gathered to demonstrate in Australias two largest cities. | (Photo by CON CHRONIS / AFP)
