Booing disrupts Anzac Day Welcome to Country speeches across Australia
Consensus Summary
On April 25, 2026, Welcome to Country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth were disrupted by booing from small groups of attendees. Indigenous elders Uncle Ray Minniecon, Uncle Mark Brown, and Di Ryder were targeted, with Minniecon and Brown facing prolonged booing in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively. A 24-year-old man was arrested in Sydney for allegedly booing, and WA Police issued multiple move-on notices in Perth. The anti-immigration group Fight for Australia encouraged the booing via social media, posting a video of Uncle Mark Brown being booed in 2025. Political leaders, including Premiers Jacinta Allan, Chris Minns, and Roger Cook, condemned the behavior as disgraceful and disrespectful, while Indigenous leaders and military figures described it as racist. The RSL announced it would review its guidance on Welcome to Country addresses at Anzac Day services. The majority of attendees at the services clapped in support of the elders, drowning out the boos. The incident reignited debates about the role of Welcome to Country ceremonies and the rise of public displays of racism in Australia.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Booing disrupted Welcome to Country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth on April 25, 2026.
- Uncle Ray Minniecon (Kabi-Kabi, Gurang-Gurang, South Sea Islander) was booed during the Welcome to Country at Sydney’s Martin Place Cenotaph.
- Uncle Mark Brown (Bunurong Elder) was booed during the Welcome to Country at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance.
- Whadjuk Noongar Elder Di Ryder was booed during the Welcome to Country at Perth’s Kings Park dawn service.
- A 24-year-old man was arrested in Sydney for allegedly booing during the Welcome to Country at the Martin Place Cenotaph and charged with committing a nuisance on a war memorial.
- WA Police issued 10 move-on notices at Perth’s Kings Park service and 14 move-on notices in total across WA for disrupting the Anzac Day service.
- The anti-immigration group Fight for Australia (formerly March for Australia) encouraged booing via social media, posting a video of Uncle Mark Brown being booed in 2025 with the text 'Will you be booing the welcome to country this year?'
- Indigenous leaders, including Uncle Ray Minniecon, Marcia Langton, and Di Ryder, condemned the booing as racist and disrespectful.
- Political leaders, including Premier Jacinta Allan (Victoria), Premier Chris Minns (NSW), Premier Roger Cook (WA), and Defence Minister Richard Marles, condemned the booing as disgraceful, disrespectful, or 'bastardry'.
- The RSL announced it would review its guidance on Welcome to Country addresses at Anzac Day services after the disruptions.
- The Anzac Day dawn service in Sydney’s Martin Place attracted around 11,000 attendees.
- The Anzac Day dawn service in Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance attracted about 50,000 attendees.
- The Anzac Day dawn service in Perth’s Kings Park attracted about 30,000 attendees.
- Uncle Ray Minniecon served in the 51st Battalion of the Royal Queensland Regiment and his grandfather served in the 11th Light Horse Brigade during WWI.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Uncle Mark Brown was also booed during the 2025 Melbourne Anzac Day service.
- Major General Richard Vagg, acting chief of army, said the heckling would upset serving military personnel.
- Victoria Police said they were aware of two incidents of booing at the Melbourne service but could not identify anyone at the time.
- Uncle Ray Minniecon’s family has served in the military from WWI to the present day, including two brothers who served in Vietnam.
- The ABC reported that anti-immigration group Fight for Australia discussed plans to disrupt Welcome to Country ceremonies online before Anzac Day 2026.
- Fight for Australia posted on Telegram 'Sydney boo’d' with a salute emoji after the Sydney service.
- Angus Taylor said he could 'understand the frustration Australians feel about overuse' of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
- A man accused of booing in Sydney, Eli Toby, was confronted by a 7News reporter and said the Welcome to Country was 'not right' because 'it’s designed to humiliate the memory of white Australia'.
- The article mentioned that the RSL WA chief executive, Stephen Barton, called the booing 'one of the most disgraceful things I have ever heard'.
- Marcia Langton called for the booers to be named, photographed, and banned from future Anzac Day services, comparing the situation to the AFL’s ban on disruptive racists.
- The article mentioned that the booing was orchestrated by Fight for Australia, which had previously staged major anti-immigration rallies.
- The Guardian reported that the booing was widely condemned as 'un-Australian' by Angus Taylor, who also said he understood concerns about overuse of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
- The article included a quote from Uncle Jack Pearson, a Yimithurr man and army captain, stating 'racism is a cancer'.
- The article mentioned that the booing occurred at Adelaide’s Anzac Day service as well.
- Anti-Anzac graffiti, including 'kill the troops' and 'f--k Anzacs', was sprayed on the walls of the Reservoir RSL in Melbourne’s north before the dawn service.
- The article mentioned that neo-Nazis were among the hecklers at the Melbourne service.
- The Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the booing as 'bastardry' and said it disrespected everyone who fought and died for Australia’s freedoms.
- The article included a quote from RSL Victoria president Mark Schroffel saying the disruptors were 'weak-minded individuals who do not belong at this service'.
- The article mentioned that the booing was part of a broader protest against Welcome to Country ceremonies, with some attendees clapping to drown out the boos.
- The article included a quote from a Vietnam veteran, Newton Reynolds, who said he did not support the National Workers Alliance views but believed Ben Roberts-Smith was innocent.
- The article mentioned that the booing was part of a larger protest movement against immigration and diversity policies.
- The article mentioned that the booing was part of a debate over the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
- The article included a quote from Angus Taylor condemning the booing as 'un-Australian' but questioning the overuse of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The ABC and Newscomau report that WA Police issued 10 move-on notices at Perth’s Kings Park service, while the ABC also reports 14 move-on notices in total across WA, including Busselton.
- The Guardian and Newscomau report that Angus Taylor condemned the booing as 'un-Australian' but also expressed understanding of concerns about overuse of Welcome to Country ceremonies, while the ABC and The Age do not mention this nuance in his statements.
- The ABC and Newscomau report that a 24-year-old man was arrested in Sydney, while the Guardian and The Age do not specify the age of the arrested individual.
- The Guardian and Newscomau report that the booing was orchestrated by Fight for Australia, while the ABC and Newscomau also mention the group’s involvement but do not explicitly state it was orchestrated.
- The ABC and Newscomau report that the Sydney service had 11,000 attendees, while the SMH does not provide a specific number for Sydney’s attendance.
Source Articles
Booing at Melbourne and Sydney Anzac Day services draws widespread condemnation
Indigenous elders face booing from crowd members at dawn services in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, with one man arrested and charged over his alleged involvement and others issued with move-on orders.
Thousands of Australians gather for Anzac Day Dawn Services to honour veterans
The Sydney Dawn Service has been marred by a number of people booing during the Welcome to Country, delivered by an Indigenous veteran.
Live: Australians come together to mark Anzac Day
Australians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, gather to commemorate Anzac Day at dawn services this morning. Follow live.
Man arrested as Anzac Day booing draws condemnation from politicians, military chiefs
Booing disrupted Welcome to Country addresses at Anzac Day dawn services in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney where a man was arrested.
Leaders condemn 'disgusting' disruptions by 'cretins' at WA Anzac Day services
Leaders have condemned "cretins" who interjected and booed at Perth and Western Australian Anzac Day ceremonies, with the premier labelling their actions "disgusting and disrespectful".
Angus Taylor condemns Anzac dawn service hecklers as 'un-Australian' – video
The opposition leader joins others in denouncing the people who booed at Anzac Day dawn services but says he believes welcome to country acknowledgements are overused ‘Racism is a cancer’: Indigenous leaders condemn orchestrated booing at Anzac Day ceremonies Marcia Langton: 'The AFL bans disruptive racists. Surely the police can do the same for morons who boo welcome to country on Anzac Day' Continue reading...
Boos mar Melbourne’s Anzac Day dawn service
Boos rang out during the Welcome to Country at the Shrine on Saturday morning, and many other attendees clapped in an attempt to drown them out.
Taylor’s big call on Welcome to Country
Indigenous veterans faced unprecedented disruption at Anzac ceremonies as the country grapples with growing tensions over Welcome to Country.
‘Racism is a cancer’: Indigenous leaders condemn orchestrated booing at Anzac Day ceremonies
Uncle Jack Pearson, an army captain, says heckling ‘not in the Anzac spirit’ after welcome to country booed in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Indigenous speakers booed while Ben Roberts-Smith attends separate Gold Coast event Marcia Langton: The AFL bans disruptive racists. Surely police can do the same for morons who boo welcome to country Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Indigenous leaders have condemned people who booed welcome to country speeches at Anzac Day dawn se
Loud boos mar Anzac Day dawn service in Martin Place
Dawn services and marches are being held around NSW to commemorate and honour Australia’s veterans. Here’s what you need to know this Anzac Day long weekend.
Angus Taylor says Welcome to Country ceremonies are overdone
A day after boos were heard at Anzac Day services, the Liberal leader said the Indigenous ceremonies had lost their value.
Man accused of Anzac Day boos unmasked
The man accused of a booing the “Welcome to Country” during a dawn service on Anzac Day has been named and shamed by a TV reporter.
Newsroom Edition: the ugly politics of chasing One Nation - podcast
There were ugly scenes at Anzac Day dawn services when a small handful of people booed during the welcome to country in several cities. Most politicians condemned the behaviour, including opposition leader Angus Taylor, but he nevertheless said the next day that he thought the ceremonies were ‘overused’ and that he understood Australians’ frustration with them. In the same interview, he also said in relation to immigration there was a higher risk ‘that some bad people’ come from ‘bad countries’.
The AFL bans disruptive racists. Surely the police can do the same for morons who boo welcome to country on Anzac Day | Marcia Langton
To dishonour the memory of Indigenous and other Australians who served during wars is despicable, ignorant and a moral crime Indigenous speakers booed at services while Ben Roberts-Smith attends separate Gold Coast event Hundreds of thousands of Australians gather in the darkness before dawn around Australia to honour those who have fallen. Anzac Day is a sacred day in the Australian and New Zealand calendars, when we honour those who gave their lives at Gallipoli, ostensibly for the nations’ se
Indigenous speakers booed at Anzac Day services as Ben Roberts-Smith attends Gold Coast event
Roberts-Smith, who has denied five charges of war crime murder, says he was always going to attend: ‘I never thought about not coming’ Booing has marred Anzac Day commemorations in Melbourne and Sydney, while on the Gold Coast, the Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith attended the dawn service at Currumbin Beach. One man was arrested at the Sydney dawn service at Martin Place, where there was a small but noisy interjection of booing during the Indigenous acknowledgement of country. Continu
Barnaby’s shock Welcome to Country call
The One Nation MP has ruled out describing the Anzac Day heckling as racist despite vehemently condemning the act.
Veteran's advice after Anzac Day booing: Find your 'warrior spirit'
While condemnation has been swift after Indigenous elders were booed on Anzac Day, solutions to this type of racism seem harder to pin down. Elders have advice to share.
Australia news live: RSL to review welcome to country policy; Angus Taylor vows to double fuel reserve
Club chief says ‘anodyne acknowledgments’ can be ‘overworked’. Follow today’s news live Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Nationals leader Matt Canavan has detailed a Coalition plan to build the nation’s fuel reserves to a 60-day supply, spending $800m (out of a total estimated total $6bn) to build a new storage facility. Canavan told RN Breakfast that to meet that obligation for a doubled reserve, Australia would need about 4.4bn litres of extra storage which will be
Anti-immigration group claims it did not organise Anzac Day booing despite post asking ‘how loud will you be’
Booing by rightwing groups of Indigenous leaders giving welcome to country speeches marred ceremonies for a second year running Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast An anti-immigration group has claimed it did not “organise” booing at welcome to country ceremonies at Anzac Day dawn services despite a social media post asking followers “how loud will you be this year”. Booing by rightwing groups of Indigenous elders giving welcome to country speeches marred Anzac Day cerem
Anzac booing a sign Australia has a long way to go to 'call racism what it is'
Jeers could be heard for more than a minute as Uncle Ray Minniecon spoke at yesterday's Anzac service in Sydney with similar scenes playing out in Melbourne and Perth.
Indigenous leaders condemn Anzac Day jeering as debate over Welcome to Country reignites
Opposition leader Angus Taylor has condemned Anzac Day heckling but questioned the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies.
Man arrested as Anzac Day booing draws condemnation from politicans, military chiefs
Booing disrupted Welcome to Country addresses at Anzac Day dawn services in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney where a man was arrested.
Tears, hymns and prayer as thousands gather at Anzac services in Sydney
Among the crowd, some held wreaths adorned with the words "Lest We Forget" while others pinned sprigs of rosemary and rows of medals to their shirts.
RSL to review Welcome to Country policies after Anzac Day booing
RSL Australia will review its Welcome to Country guidelines after Indigenous elders were booed during Anzac Day services across the country.
The ugly politics of chasing One Nation – Full Story newsroom edition
There were ugly scenes at Anzac Day dawn services when a small handful of people booed during the welcome to country in several cities. Most politicians condemned the behaviour, including opposition leader Angus Taylor, but he nevertheless said the next day that he thought the ceremonies were ‘overused’ and that he understood Australians’ frustration with them. In the same interview, he also said in relation to immigration there was a higher risk ‘that some bad people’ come from ‘bad countries’.
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