Arabic version: مئات يحتجون على منشأة باين غاب قرب أليس سبرينغز

According to ABC News, about 300 people protested outside the Pine Gap joint Australian-US defence facility in Alice Springs, in the largest demonstration at the site since 1987. The rally drew participants from across Australia and included anti-war, pro-Palestinian and land rights activists.

Protesters called for Pine Gap to close and for the land to be returned to Arrernte traditional owners. Pine Gap gathers intelligence from a global network of surveillance satellites and has long faced controversy over how its intelligence is used.

Northern Territory Police established a traffic stop several kilometres from the facility to check drivers’ and passengers’ identifications. A second police blockade, about 200 metres from the high-security entrance, prevented protesters from moving closer on foot.

Marchers carried signs, placards and flags as they approached the barricade, chanting “shut it down”, “close Pine Gap” and “always was, always will be Aboriginal land”. New South Wales Greens senator David Shoebridge was among those attending and backed calls for the land to be handed back to traditional owners.

Arrernte traditional owners, joined by a small group of protesters, took a letter to the gates and delivered it to senior police officers. The document sought the return of land, access to sacred sites and rock art within the facility, and compensation for decades of occupation. Organisers said they did not rule out returning and planned to demonstrate against Australia’s AUKUS agreement with the US in September.