Today, several hundred people turned up to Hyde Park for an unofficial ‘No’ rally against the upcoming ‘Voice’ referendum, due to be held on the 14th of October 2023. The rally was one of a series of so-called ‘Freedom’ rallies around the country, organised by local Putin-sympathiser, Simeon Boikov, who is currently holed up in the Russian Embassy.
Besides No campaigners, the crowd was also filled with a range of conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxers, nationalists and amalgam of people pushing right-wing causes. Neo-Nazis reportedly marched at the corresponding march in Melbourne. The official No campaign had not endorsed the event and had warned people from attending.
Speakers included Liberal Democrat, John Ruddick MLC, former MP Ross Cameron, One Nation's Tania Mihailuk MLC and former United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly. Budjiti/Murrawari men Bruce Shillingsworth Senior and his son, Bruce Shillingsworth Junior also spoke, alongside a handful of other Aboriginal people who travelled to Sydney for the event.
At the end of the rally, a small break away group confronted the organisers, claiming the event had been hijacked by politicians, and that they had not been allowed to speak.
The numbers at today’s No rally paled in comparison to the tens of thousands that turned up to the Yes campaign rally last week. Nevertheless, polls show the No campaign ahead and are predicting the referendum will fail.
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