Australian authorities have apprehended a 31-year-old male suspect following an attempted attack during a contentious national holiday observance in Perth. The incident unfolded at approximately 12:30 PM local time on Monday in Forrest Place, a pedestrian square where thousands had gathered for an Invasion Day rally advocating for Indigenous rights.
According to Western Australia Police Commissioner Col Blanch, the suspect threw a rudimentary explosive device toward a stage area where speakers were addressing the crowd. The mechanism, approximately the size of a medium coffee cup, contained ball bearings and screws wrapped around an unidentified liquid within a glass container. Forensic experts are currently analyzing the substance while the suspect remains in custody.
Commissioner Blanch confirmed the device failed to detonate and no injuries were reported. He stated authorities “do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the community” despite the seriousness of the incident.
The attack occurred on Australia Day, a national holiday marking the 1788 arrival of Britain’s First Fleet that many Indigenous Australians and supporters commemorate as Invasion Day due to its association with colonization. These annual protests typically draw significant crowds across major cities and frequently generate heated public discourse.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook condemned the act as “completely unacceptable,” emphasizing that “We can’t let hate win” and highlighting the importance of respecting diverse viewpoints in Australian society.
This security scare follows closely on the heels of December’s Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people during a Jewish festival. Australia’s national terror threat level currently remains at “probable,” the third-highest classification on the country’s five-point scale.
Several Australia Day events were modified or canceled this year due to extreme heat conditions exceeding 40°C in some regions, adding another layer of complexity to the already tense national observance.