Australia: Aboriginal solidarity march hits Melbourne

Thousands hit the streets of Melbourne on Friday, bringing parts of the city centre to a standstill in a rally against the forced closure of remote Aboriginal communities.. Protesters marched with banners supporting Aboriginal communities and chanting "Always was, always will be Aboriginal land." The rally began outside Finders Street railway station at 16:00 local time (06:00 GMT). Last month Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot backed the West Australian government's plans to close up to 150 of the 247 Indigenous remote communities in the state, sparking condemnation from Aboriginal and rights organisations. Representatives from the Kimberly Land Council are due to travel to the UN on April 20 to request the organisation condemn the move, which they say contravenes the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples.