A 24-year-old man was arrested at Sydney's Martin Place for an alleged act of nuisance during the Anzac Day dawn service, NSW Police said. Uncle Ray Minniecon was booed during his Acknowledgement of Country at the service, according to multiple reports. About 11,000 people attended the Martin Place service, up from 4,000 last year, while up to 30,000 attended a service at North Bondi and more than 50,000 gathered at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance, major media reported.
Two Melbourne war memorials were vandalized on the eve of Anzac Day with anti-war slogans, according to multiple reports. The Answering the Call statue in Port Melbourne was defaced with red paint and the slogan 'No war 4 Aus', the Centenary Bridge pylon at Station Pier was vandalized with 'No warships 4 AUKUS', and a fence at Station Pier was targeted with 'US Empire = Death'.
Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith attended the dawn service at Currumbin Beach on the Gold Coast, major media reported. Roberts-Smith has been charged with five counts of war crime murder for alleged killings in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012, and denies all allegations. A group whose founder describes himself as a 'white nationalist' is set to hold a rally in support of Roberts-Smith, according to major media.
NSW, the ACT, and WA will observe a substitute public holiday on Monday after Anzac Day, major media reported. NSW Premier Chris Minns defended the additional public holiday, citing fewer public holidays than other states.