Tens of thousands of women gathered outside Australia’s parliament and towns and cities across the country on Monday to take part in rallies calling for gender equality and justice for victims of sexual assault.
The March 4 Justice rallies were spurred by a recent wave of allegations of sexual assault, discrimination and misconduct in some of Australia’s highest political offices.
Women wore black to signal “strength and mourning”, carried banners with slogans including “Shatter the silence. Stop the violence” and joined “We will not be silenced” chants.
Protestors in Melbourne carried a meters-long white banner bearing the names of all the women killed in Australia from gendered violence since 2008, while those outside Parliament House in Canberra prepared to deliver two petitions demanding change.
A delegation of organizers rejected an invitation to meet with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in private, while leaders of the major opposition political parties came out to join the crowds.
A spokesman for Morrison said there was a standing offer for a private meeting and declined to comment further.
