Advertisement

Protester arrested and charged over Freeman poster

March for Australia

Source: AAP

A man has been arrested after he was allegedly spotted waving an “offensive” photo of accused police shooter Dezi Freeman at Adelaide’s March For Australia protest on Sunday.

A 39-year-old Golden Grove man went to Adelaide’s Grenfell Street police station on Tuesday.

After being interviewed, he was charged with displaying offensive material in a public place.

He was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on October 28.

South Australian Police had sought the protester after he was apparently seen waving a placard appearing to show Freeman’s face, in one of the Sunday’s anti-immigration marches held around the country.

SA Police Acting Commissioner Linda Williams said the image of the wanted killer over the words “Free Man” was “offensive”, “disgraceful” and “outrageous”. She said police had identified the man and were at that time considering charging him.

“I think that that would have disturbed any right-minded person, including our members who saw the sign yesterday,” she said.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the actions were “despicable and disgusting”.

“It’s very hard to find the words for it, really.”

police protest

The man was spotted in the crowd at the Adelaide protest. Photo: 7NEWS

Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said it was “the most distasteful thing I saw [at the weekend rallies]”.

“That just made us all feel sick and I was appalled by seeing that poster. That person is not a free man — he’s a wanted man,” he said.

Tens of thousands of nationalists, dozens of dogs and at least one horse draped in Australian flags and paraphernalia turned out for Sunday’s March For Australia rallies in major cities including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.

Speakers and attendees were at pains to state they were not against immigrants but wanted less migration.

However, rhetoric crossed into racism and xenophobia and became conspiratorial for some.

Confronting footage has also since emerged of protesters storming an Indigenous camp in Melbourne after Sunday’s “March for Australia” rallies.

Video circulating online shows a group of men wearing black attacking people at Camp Sovereignty, at Kings Domain.

Want to see more stories from The New Daily in your Google search results?

  1. Click here to set The New Daily as a preferred source.
  2. Tick the box next to "The New Daily". That's it.
Advertisement
Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter.
Copyright © 2026 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.