Fijivillage
NEWS SPORTS IN DEPTH
23 March, 2026, 4:59 pm
Central - 30°C Clouds
23 March, 2026, 4:59 pm Central - 30°C Clouds

Anti-COVID-19 vaccination protests held in Australia ahead of rollout

Anti-COVID-19 vaccination protests held in Australia ahead of rollout

By Semi Turaga
21/02/2021
Police used pepper spray in Melbourne and several people were arrested

Anti-vaccination protesters have gathered across Australia ahead of the launch of the country's coronavirus vaccination programme.

Protests were held in cities including Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with participants chanting slogans like: "My body, my choice."

Australian media report the rallies were largely peaceful, but police made several arrests in Melbourne.

The national rollout of the Pfizer vaccine is set to begin tomorrow.

Australia's medical regulator earlier this week also granted provisional approval for the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which is expected to be rolled out next month.

Both vaccines have undergone extensive safety checks and are already being used in several countries.

According to broadcaster ABC, the rallies were joined by a few thousand people in total.

In Melbourne, some protesters clashed with police, who used pepper spray and made several arrests.

Australia has recorded just under 29,000 cases, and 909 deaths since the pandemic began.

[Source: BBC]

FEATURE NEWS
Navua man convicted of raping his biological daughter
The Suva High Court has found a 39-year-old Navua man guilty of raping his biological daughter when she was 13 years old in February last year. The m...
1 hour ago
LATEST NEWS
fijivillage Straight Talk : 2 mothers and Dr Waisele to speak on importance of assisting children living with cancer
As we get ready for the Communications Fiji Ltd Foundation charity walk from Nausori to Suva at 8am Saturday, we will have the stories of two mothers ...
3 minutes ago

Wheelchair-bound murder accused Laqeni seeks more documents ahead of trial
Wheelchair-bound Epeli Laqeni, who is accused of killing his de facto partner, has requested further documents from the Office of the Director of ...
44 minutes ago

$2M in Multi-Ethnic Grants boost 195 Northern communities
195 communities across the Northern Division have received Multi-Ethnic Grants worth $2 million, boosting grassroots development and community ...
59 minutes ago

Navua man convicted of raping his biological daughter
The Suva High Court has found a 39-year-old Navua man guilty of raping his biological daughter when she was 13 years old in February last year. The ...
1 hour ago

Education Commission questions penalties for compulsory schooling
The Education Commission says they feel that compulsory education in the Education Bill is an inappropriate and disproportionate penalty against ...
2 hours ago



Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
IN DEPTH
Fiji Sports Council Saga: Minister ready to repay business class air fare for wife as concerns grow about Sports Council deals
I was invited to travel to New Zealand by the Fiji Sports Council for a grassroots 7s tournament in 2024, I travelled business class but it was ...
17 days ago

National Talanoa Session on Illicit Drugs in Fiji: 2,400 drug-related cases recorded in 2025
The illicit drug situation in Fiji has been described as a national emergency, with 2,400 drug-related cases recorded in 2025. Minister for Policing ...
24 days ago

Charlie Charters held at Nadi Airport because of a FICAC flag on his file
Fijian national, Charlie Charters is being held at immigration at Nadi International Airport because of a FICAC flag on his file.fijivillage News has ...
24 days ago

TOP