Advertisement

Fire breaks out at Old Parliament House

Some of the damage caused by last year's fire at Old Parliament House in Canberra has been fixed.

Some of the damage caused by last year's fire at Old Parliament House in Canberra has been fixed. Photo: AAP

A fire at the doors of Old Parliament House in Canberra has caused extensive damage to the front of the building as protesters were dragged away by police.

Just before 12pm on Thursday ACT Emergency Services were called to the scene to find the front doors alight.

A group calling itself “Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccinations” live-streamed the fire.

The building was evacuated as a precaution and crews extinguished the blaze.

Social media footage depicts police dragging protesters away from the front steps of the building. It also shows a large fire burning on the doors.

https://twitter.com/fvinall/status/1476393611935641605

The building was set on fire by protesters on December 21 and there have been daily protests outside it since December 26.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said it was “an absolute disgrace” if the fire was deliberately lit.

“This is the parliament that for so long underpinned the freedoms we have as a democracy and made the decisions that formed us as a nation, fighting for the increase of rights and corrections to our colonial past,” he said.

“If someone is trying to make a statement then it is a very bad one that will be received with overwhelming disgust.”

The building is now home to the Museum of Australian Democracy.

– AAP

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 © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.