Dramatic footage has emerged showing the moment an Invasion Day rally in Perth's central business district was abruptly evacuated following a serious bomb scare. The incident occurred at Forrest Place on Monday, January 26, when a glass container was allegedly hurled into the peaceful demonstration from a first-floor walkway.
Police Detail Dangerous Device
Police Commissioner Col Blanch provided a detailed account of the alarming event. "Members of the public that were situated on the upper level on the eastern side of Forrest Place observed a male throw an object down in front of the stage area," Commissioner Blanch stated. "Police immediately responded. They arrested the person who threw the device and that male indicated that that device may contain explosives."
The device was thrown approximately thirty minutes after the rally commenced at midday. Forensic examination later revealed it was a homemade improvised explosive device containing volatile chemicals, with nails and metal ball bearings attached to the exterior.
"Explode on Impact" Design
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the device was specifically designed to "explode on impact," noting it was only through good fortune that it failed to detonate. "The device that was located just in front of the stage area contained ball bearings, contained screws and those items were wrapped around an unknown-at-this-stage liquid in a glass container," Commissioner Blanch explained.
Police conducted a thorough search of the suspect's Warwick home in northern Perth, where they discovered a combination of chemicals and materials consistent with the manufacture of homemade explosives.
Court Proceedings and Charges
A 31-year-old man from Warwick has been charged with intent to do harm in such a way as to endanger life, health or safety, along with making or possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances. The accused appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday, where he did not apply for bail. The matter has been adjourned until February 17.
The court granted a suppression order regarding the man's identity due to legitimate fears for his safety. He faces serious charges of an unlawful act or omission with intent to cause harm, alongside the explosives-related allegations.
Chaotic Evacuation Scene
The bomb scare occurred during speeches from Aboriginal leaders at the peaceful gathering. Organisers were forced to use microphones to urgently direct attendees away from the area. "I don't want to make a panic. Just move that way slowly," one organiser instructed, according to ABC News reports. "Because they reckon someone planted a bomb. Walk that way now. Now."
Lilli O'Flyn, a member of the crowd, described the stressful evacuation. "No-one really told us what was going on, and it was kind of stressful," she told the ABC. "But just because no-one was communicating with us, we didn't really know what to do." She added that she and a friend quickly left after the warning "because when you don't know, you go to worst-case scenario."
Political Condemnation and Broader Context
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook strongly condemned the incident, describing it as "completely unacceptable" both within the state and across Australia. "Whatever the motivations for this, we must remember what this day marks. This Australia Day should be one of unity, not division," Premier Cook stated. "That a peaceful protest was targeted in this fashion runs against the very heart of what it means to be Australian."
The Premier emphasised the importance of respectful dialogue, adding: "Now more than ever, it is important we treat each other's views with respect. That is what inclusivity is all about. We can't let hate win."
Nationwide Protest Landscape
The Perth incident occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions across Australia, where Invasion Day protests calling for better recognition of Indigenous peoples coincided with anti-immigration rallies under the "March for Australia" banner. Police forces nationwide were deployed in significant numbers to prevent potential clashes between opposing groups.
In Melbourne, the two demonstrations proceeded through the city with only streets separating them, each ending where the other began. Gunnai and Gunditjmara activist Meriki Onus advised Invasion Day protesters: "Please, do not engage" ahead of potential confrontations.
Meanwhile in Sydney, one man attending a rally faces charges of publicly inciting racial hatred, accused of promoting neo-Nazi ideology at a demonstration in Surry Hills. NSW Police assistant commissioner Brett McFadden told reporters: "We will allege that the language he used, his presence, was clearly and unequivocally assigned with neo-Nazi ideology."
Victoria Police confirmed they are investigating three assaults believed connected to the rallies, including an incident where a couple had their car attacked with a broken boom gate while being racially abused by four men, one of whom performed Nazi salutes during the ordeal.
