A controversial senator has received a hero’s welcome from an anti-immigration mob, declaring she won’t be kowtowed after her latest burqa stunt.
Watched by heavily armed police, about 700 people walked through Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday for an anti-immigration rally.
Another 500 people gathered for a counter-rally but Victoria Police managed to keep the groups apart to avoid a repeat of a similar demonstration on October 19.
There were chants of “Aussie Aussie Aussie”, “put Australia first” and “free Victoria” as the Australian-flag draped group marched from Flinders Street Station to Flagstaff Gardens.
A man was arrested on Swanston Street after he was searched and allegedly found with knuckle dusters.
Two people were given move-on directions from Flagstaff Gardens, including a woman who was using a loudspeaker before she ran from police.
Police are also investigating the display of a Nazi symbol, an unknown man who threw a can of drink at officers and other incidents involving offensive behaviour.
The event was organised by anti-vaccine protester Monica Smit, who was also behind a Sydney march on Saturday that attracted about 400 people.
Ms Hanson was the headline speaker at the Melbourne event and called for calm when a scuffle broke out during her speech.
“Please don’t fight. We’re not here to fight or argue with one another,” the Queensland One Nation senator said.
She used the brouhaha to launch a diatribe against fellow senators who slapped her with a seven-sitting-day ban for wearing a burqa in the Senate on Tuesday.
“The people will judge me and they will judge me at the next election when I stand,” Senator Hanson said.
“They keep saying how much longer are you going to be in parliament?
“Well, you know what? I’m going to be there at least another 12 or 18 years.”
Support for One Nation has been surging since it captured 6.4 per cent of the nationwide vote at the May federal election, with the latest Newspoll putting the party’s primary vote at 15 per cent.
Immigration was the “biggest issue” facing Australia at the moment, Ms Hanson said.
She blamed “high” immigration under the Albanese government for housing shortages, healthcare pressure and job losses, and said it should be reduced until we “clean up our own backyard”.
The 71-year-old also touched on state politics, promising to stand One Nation candidates at the Victorian election in 2026.
“I’m not from Victoria and to tell you the truth, I don’t want to move to Victoria,” she said to cheers.
“I’ll stick to Queensland, thank you very much.”
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