Australian Army march through Adelaide CBD sparks backlash
Footage of the Australian Army marching through Adelaide’s CBD has gone viral, with some social media users branding the scenes “disgusting” and “scary”.
Soldiers from the 1st Armoured Regiment, accompanied by two Abrams battle tanks, marched along King William Road from the Torrens Parade Ground to St Peter’s Cathedral on Saturday morning.
The ceremony marked the transfer of command and relocation of the regiment’s sacred flags from Lone Pine Chapel at Darwin’s Robertson Barracks.
Last year, the 1st Armoured Regiment transferred from the 1st Brigade to the 9th Brigade in Adelaide.
“The relocation of the Guidon and the first Standard enables the regiment’s current and former serving members to be physically closer to these sacred devices and reflect on their history,” the 9th Brigade wrote on Facebook.
A clip of the march posted to Twitter by 7 News Adelaide has been viewed 1.3 million times, with many users reacting negatively to the display of “military strength”.
“Am I the only person who finds this terrifying?” wrote Saturday Paper journalist Claire Connelly.
“Lovely bit of casually-encountered weekend trauma for anyone who’s ever been brutalised by authority. Nice,” said author Maxine Beneba Clarke.
“When did we become North Korea?” another Twitter user asked.
The presence of the Army chaplains in the procession sparked particular backlash.
“Beyond disgusting,” wrote author and interfaith minister Dr Stephanie Dorwick.
“And that priest person marching alongside the tanks?!! Doesn’t he know Jesus came to teach inclusion and peace? Military displays have no place in Australia.”
Palaeontologist Dr Elen Shute said, “A ceremony to relocate a regiment’s ‘sacred flags’ to Adelaide, with a robed religious figure leading an army parade, complete with tanks rolling down main street. Are we in some kind of creeping military theocracy stage of our history? This is just bizarre.”
Another person wrote, “A priest leads troops and tanks down an Australian street. This is horrifying. How dare you promote such nationalism and aggressive behaviour. Shameful.”
Some users mocked the presence of the chaplains.
“Priest is quite clearly there to heal units and convert the enemy. I don’t understand the confusion. It’s like no one plays Age of Empires,” one wrote.
“Military strength my ass, I only see two mages in there,” another said.
But many supported the tradition.
“These are honourable men and women of the Australian Army. Nothing disgusting to see there,” one wrote.
“Needs to be more of this, martial pride makes a nation great in the eyes of its citizens and the world,” another said.
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Barrister and Navy veteran Gray Connolly added, “Well done to Adelaide here … we need this in the Sydney CBD … a tank squadron will get a sense of urgency into the very slow light rail that runs down George Street.”
The Australian Defence Force has been contacted for comment.
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