On Sunday, counter-protesters had earlier gathered at the State Library on Swanston Street to protest the anti-immigration rally.
The Put Australia First demonstrators assembled in Flinders Street before marching to Flagstaff Gardens.
The two rallies coincide with the introduction of Victoria Police’s greater powers to conduct on-the-spot searches for prohibited weapons.
The new search powers were tested outside the State Library during the rally by counter-protesters. Six officers stopped a man wearing a grey hoodie to search his bag. A crowd gathered around chanting, “No justice, no ban. No racist police.”
The man’s bag was emptied on the forecourt and deemed safe.
Under the declaration, officers can conduct pat-down or wand searches of people without a warrant, search vehicles and force people to remove face coverings in the designated areas of the CBD, Southbank and Docklands.
Police officers use new search powers at the Unite to Oppose the Far Right protest in Melbourne on Sunday.Credit: Bridie Smith
The expanded powers will be in force until May 29, 2026.
During violent clashes between police and counter-protesters on October 19, police were assaulted with rocks, glass bottles and rotten fruit. Two officers were taken to hospital.
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