Protests During the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’

A protestor holds up a sign during rallies against government-mandated health restrictions and impending Pandemic legislation in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 2, 2021. Supplied

Around 200 Australians have marched from Melbourne’s Footscray Park to the gates of the Flemington Racecourse during protests against the Victorian government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Melbourne Cup, a public holiday in the state of Victoria, was underway at the racecourse, which saw around ten thousand fully vaccinated punters join the festivities.