Thousands of Black Lives Matter protesters vow to descend on Sydney TODAY in defiance of a court ordered ban - amid fears of an American-style clash with police
- More than 10,000 protesters are expected to march across Sydney on Saturday
- This is in flagrant violation of a controversial court-ordered ban on the rally
- There are now 'major concerns' the Black Lives Matter rally could turn violent
- The protest was banned by a Supreme Court judge citing social distancing laws
- Similar marches are planned in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide this weekend
Tens of thousands of protesters are set to march across Australia on Saturday as fears grow it could lead to violent American-style clashes with police.
The Black Lives Matter rally will go ahead at Sydney's Town Hall at 3pm, despite being banned by the Supreme Court on Friday after a judge ruled the demonstration didn't comply with coronavirus social distancing regulations.
Similar protests are planned in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, with police fearful opportunists could exploit the marches to commit crimes.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned rule-breakers who attend the protest will be 'flagrantly disregarding the [state's] health orders'.
But activists have vowed to turn out in their droves 'come rain, hail or shine', saying the protests would go ahead 'regardless'.
Protesters are pictured outside the Supreme Court in Sydney on June 5 holding up signs (pictured), ahead of Sydney's Black Lives Matter protest on June 6
A woman is pictured outside the Supreme Court in Sydney on June 5 (pictured) awaiting the controversial decision about the protest
'What was put to police initially was within health orders,' Ms Berejiklian said.
'But when Commissioner Fuller advised me this morning, given the escalation (in expected turnout) and what was being said on social media … the protest would not be able to be managed within the health orders.'
There are now 'major concerns' the decision to outlaw the demonstration could cause fury among the protesters - with startling scenes of violence already taking place across America.
Online, the backlash has been fierce against the state government's position.
'Maybe if we hold the protests on a cruise ship Gladys and the cops will back off,' one user wrote referring to the Ruby Princess debacle.
Another person said: 'No one stops white people protesting the BS 5G conspiracy, but deaths in custody, which is real and truly affects the soul of this country, is a no go. FFS.'
A computer shop in New York was looted on Tuesday (pictured, with fears violence could also break out in Australia
One user mocked the NSW government's push to ban the protest, comparing it to the Ruby Princess debacle
After the controversial announcement on Friday, Nathan Moran, chief executive of the Metro Local Aboriginal Land Council vowed to march no matter what.
'We will go regardless, this issue is more important than a fine,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
'We have no faith in anything changing unless we make this change.'
Leetona Dungay, the mother of David Dungay, who died in jail in 2015 after being restrained by officers, added: 'I'm marching for my son and nothing is stopping me.
'If we don't march tomorrow that means they'll keep killing people.'
Across the rest of Australia, thousands more are expected to protest this weekend, as similar marches continue across the world following the death of George Floyd.
The unarmed black man died on May 25 in Minneapolis while a policeman knelt on his neck for eight minutes, sparking worldwide outrage.
People are seen joining George Floyd's family at a march on June 2 in downtown Houston (pictured), his hometown
Another critic said that it was unfair that the 5G protests went ahead while these were banned
A small number of protests have turned violent, with lootings and aggression seen in America and London.
Shocking footage has emerged both of crowds looting and ransacking local businesses, and also of police using aggressive tactics.
In Brisbane, Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance will hold a rally at King George Square.
Brian Codd, Assistant Commissioner of Queensland police, said he feared it could turn violent.
'One of my major concerns is that there will be people who may use the veil, the cover of this quite emotional and important issue in our community … to pursue violent, disruptive, or illegal behaviour,' he said on Friday.
'We've got a range of processes in place to help mitigate that.'
He added that although the demonstration against indigenous death in custody is in violation of the state's social distancing laws, it will not be feasible for officers to hand out fines.
'We prefer that several thousand people not gather tomorrow … (but) if it's going to occur we're going to apply a lens that will mitigate the risk as best we can,' he told reporters.
'It just isn't practical … to suggest that we're going to go through and start issuing fine notices to thousands of people.'
A large demonstration is also expected in Melbourne on Saturday, with demonstrators vowing to turn out in their droves.
'This is a global and historic movement,' organiser Meriki Onus, from the Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance group told reporters.
Aboriginal elder Latona Dungay (pictured left), whose son David Dungay died in a Sydney prison in 2015, speaks outside the Supreme Court in Sydney on June 5
Thousands of protesters are planning to break COVID-19 restrictions to march in support of the Black Lives Matter movement this weekend (pictured protesters in Sydney on Tuesday)
'A product of hundreds of years of systemic racism and policing that Australia has contributed to.
'Every time we rally, the state and police attempt to stop us by force.'
But Victoria Police have said they will not infringe on the demonstration and will only target individuals who 'intentionally break the law'.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also weighed in on the issue telling protesters 'don't go'.
'Our message is very clear that the health risks of gathering in such large numbers and into close proximity are real,' he said.
One commentator said it was unfair that anti-lockdown protesters have been free to meet
'Let's find a better way and another way to express these sentiments.'
But many on social media have called out the prime minister for supposed hypocrisy after he flippantly responded to protests over 5G conspiracy theories days ago saying 'it's a free country'.
A post-mortem found Mr Floyd's death was a homicide, with his cause of death being 'cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression'.
His treatment triggered protests across the world about the treatment of black people by police.
Protests have broken out across America in response to the death of a black man in police custody (pictured, demonstrators in Washington on June 2)
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