Melbourne Rally Sparks Violent Clashes, Officers Hospitalised

Violent clashes erupted in Melbourne's CBD on Sunday as the March for Australia anti-immigration rally and counter-protesters confronted each other, prompting deployment of riot police to separate the groups. Officers used capsicum/pepper spray, stun grenades/flash‑bangs, tear gas and rubber bullets as some protesters pelted police with rocks, glass bottles and fruit; at least one person was arrested. Two officers were hospitalised — a female sergeant with a broken hand and a senior constable with a leg laceration — and some police shields were cracked by projectiles; Victoria Police Commander Wayne Cheeseman condemned counter‑protesters and publicly displayed a box of rocks thrown at officers. Organisers described the march as opposing “mass migration,” and the demonstration has previously drawn far‑right extremists; similar clashes and heavy policing were reported in other Australian cities. Separate unrest linked to immigration enforcement was reported in the United States, including clashes in Chicago and Los Angeles, while a federal appeals court considered whether to allow temporary troop deployment to Portland to assist crowd control.