Mass rallies were held in Sydney, Melbourne, and other Australian cities on Friday, as people protested against coronavirus restrictions in the country. Thousands of maskless protesters chanting "freedom" marched through Sydney, and some of them clashed with police. According to reports, a group of lockdown opponents were throwing pot plants and bottles at mounted officers. The ABC broadcaster reported that 57 people were charged in the wake of the skirmishes.
Police in Sydney said they had launched a "high-visibility policing operation", to curb the protests.
According to the New South Wales police minister, David Elliott, 57 people were arrested following the mass demonstrations.
In total, the Australian COVID tally reached 32,594 cases, including 823 confirmed over the past week only.