The men’s Australian Open final takes place this coming Sunday (Image: Getty)
Plans by protestors to target the men’s final on Sunday have been branded “disgusting” by the Premier of Victoria.
Anti-Australia Day protesters on January 26 will rally with pro-Palestinian protesters in the Melbourne city centre. And police expect the group to then march to nearby Melbourne Park where the final day of the first Major of the year will be staged.
A small pro-Australia Day protest is also planned outside the tennis venue.
But Jacinta Allan has urged protesters to not cause trouble at the sporting event shown around the world.
“To target the would be a disgusting act,” said the Victoria Premier. “That would really break the patience of the public.”
There are annual calls for Australia Day to be abolished or the date to be changed – the public holiday branded Invasion Day by protesters supporting the rights of First Nations people.
In 2022, a Captain Cook statue was doused in red paint on the eve of Australia Day. An post from Disrupt Wars – the protesting group behind numerous pro-Palestine rallies in Melbourne over the last year – said the march was an act of “solidarity with Indigenous peoples in their ongoing struggle for justice”.
The Australian Open is reaching the business end (Image: Getty)
Victoria Police expects up to 30,000 people to attend on Sunday.
“Victoria Police has been extensively planning for Australia Day and the associated community events and rallies,” said a police statement on Thursday.
“We’re well prepared for all major events and will have a highly visible presence throughout the entire CBD to ensure they can occur safely.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told the Herald Sun: “Let’s be clear, Victoria Police are operationally ready. They will be there in large numbers,” she said.
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“No one should be using that right to peacefully protest and going in with the intent to cause violence.”
The men’s semi-finals will be held on Friday with 10-time champion taking on Olympic winner and world No.1 facing American left-hander Ben Shelton.
A spokesman for Tennis Australia and Melbourne and Olympic Park Trust said it was working with police to “ensure that planned protest activity does not impact the tournament”.
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