Hundreds of people gathered at Hobart’s cenotaph today for a vigil that organisers insist was not aimed at protesting against the Macquarie Point stadium. But the vigil has drawn criticism for 'politicising' the monument on the eve of Remembrance Day. A protest against the proposed stadium at Macquarie Point ended at the cenotaph. But the RSL who organised the event says the protest had nothing to do with the celebration.
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00:00Hundreds of people marched from the Hobart CBD to the Cenotaph this morning, responding
00:11to an invitation from the group Our Place to protest against the stadium planned for
00:16nearby Macquarie Point.
00:18I don't think we can afford a stadium at this stage.
00:23They were instructed to lower their signs before joining a vigil at the War Memorial
00:28organised by RSL Tasmania and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.
00:36The RSL argues the stadium will block key sightlines to and from the Cenotaph, while
00:42the TSO fears noise from stadium events will affect the acoustics at its concert hall.
00:48But they say today's vigil wasn't about protesting the stadium, instead celebrating the nation's
00:55oldest state war memorial.
00:57The only purpose of this today was to show people through music and through historical
01:02events what this means for us.
01:05Although this vigil was organised by RSL Tasmania, at least one RSL sub-branch has objected to
01:11it being held the day before Remembrance Day, saying it's disrespectful and part of a protest
01:16against the stadium.
01:17There was no protesting and no signs on this sacred ground, none at all.
01:23What people do in the city of Hobart is up to them.
01:27Remembrance Day is very special for Tasmanians and Australians alike and there should be
01:33no politicisation of this very special event.
01:36A fight that's far from over.