Thousands of protesters have demanded the abolition of an Australian national holiday showing a deep division over celebrations that mark the birth of modern Australia.
While Australia Day marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Sydney Cove, many indigenous Australians, who trace their lineage on the continent back 50,000 years, regard it as "Invasion Day".
At a rally in Sydney that stretched along more than half a dozen city blocks, about 5000 protesters chanted, "Always was and always will be aboriginal land" and "No pride in genocide." Protests attended by several thousand people took place in Melbourne, Canberra and other Australian cities.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's government, which faces a general election due in May, opposes any change to the holiday.
[Source: RadioNZ]
