Last-ditch push to save park slated for Olympic arena

A last-ditch push to save Victoria Park looms as a $3.6 billion Olympics arena advances toward the 2032 Games. Demonstrators returned to the site as bulldozers prepared to clear the park; five people were arrested during a Friday raid on the on-site tent embassy, including a man tackled to the ground by police. On Sunday, hundreds gathered for a peaceful rally at the park. Bulldozers could begin work Monday to clear the arena in Brisbane. Media outlets described the dispute as a test of Olympic legacy amid mounting tensions. Indigenous elders regard the park as significant and demand protection under Aboriginal heritage laws. The state has converted the site to freehold land, but the project faces hurdles. Environment Minister Murray Watt said 10 submissions sought protection for a significant Aboriginal area; two were declined, the rest under consideration. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said the plan would continue, while critics including former premier Campbell Newman criticized the approach; the Crisafulli government and Brisbane City Council defended the eviction as a safety measure, with protesters told to move by a 2 PM deadline. Opponents argue that legal processes should be respected and followed.