Anti-lockdown protests in Sydney and Melbourne

Huge protests were held in the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne against the lockdown imposed on these two cities after they entered its sixth lockdown on 5 August.

Thousands of police officers have been deployed at road checkpoints to counter anti-lockdown protests in Sydney and Melbourne and prevent the march from going ahead, as Australia grapples with a surge in coronavirus cases.

Australia recorded 1,882 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, along with seven death cases in the latest 24-hour period, as it fights an outbreak of the Delta variant of coronavirus.

About 700 people managed to gather in parts of Melbourne and 235 have been arrested.