蜜芽传媒

Tens of thousands of people have taken part in protests across Australia, calling for a change to the country's national holiday.

Australia Day - 26 January - marks the arrival of European colonists in 1788. Demonstrators want the date to be changed, as a sign of respect for indigenous Australians.

Lidia Thorpe is an Australian independent politician who is the first Aboriginal senator for the state of Victoria. She told Newsday: 鈥淭he 26th of January is not a day to celebrate, it is a day of mourning鈥� We were 100% of the population鈥� now we are 3%.鈥�

She added that research carried out by her office shows that: 鈥淗alf of this country do not celebrate the 26th of January. Half of his country do not dance on the graves of first people of this country.鈥�

(Picture: Shows a protester at an Invasion Day protest in Sydney on January 26, 2023 with a sign saying, 鈥楥hange the date鈥� in reference to Australia Day, which is the official national day of Australia. Credit: Lisa Maree Williams via Getty Images.)

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