Old Parliament House was deliberately set on fire by protesters, new footage shows.
Videos shared on social media show at least one demonstrator stoking the fire at the door of the historic building with a pile of sticks.
Another video appears to show Indigenous rights activists covering CCTV cameras at the front of the building before it was set on fire.
Old Parliament House was deliberately set on fire by protesters, new footage (above) shows
According to witnesses, one protester asked for phones to be turned off before the blaze was it.
Police are investigating the incident after saying it was a traditional smoking ceremony that got out of control.
Five fire engines and about 40 police officers attended the scene and the historic building was evacuated as a precaution while crews extinguished the blaze.
As the new footage emerged, an anti-vaccination protest group denied being responsible, insisting its members only filmed the fiasco and were not involved.
The group named Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccinations (MMAMV) Australia posted on its Facebook page that ‘mainstream media’ and Aussies online had accused it of starting the fire and refuted the allegation.
‘This claim is entirely false. MMAMV did not start this fire, neither has it ever claimed that MMAMV was responsible for the fire, nor for the organisation of the event,’ the post read.
Another video (above) appears to show Indigenous rights activists covering CCTV cameras at the front of the building before it was set on fire
Police manned an Aboriginal rights protest on Thursday which resulted in Old Parliament House being burned
One anti-vax protester live-streamed the event, capturing dramatic footage (above) of police trying to contain rowdy protesters on the steps of Old Parliament House as the front door burned
One of the group’s leaders, Michael Simms, was attending the Aboriginal rights protest and smoking ceremony which became out of hand on Thursday before the fire was started.
He live-streamed the event, capturing dramatic footage of police trying to contain rowdy protesters on the steps of Old Parliament House as the front door burned.
His footage shows one policeman being knocked to the ground as several officers are pushed back by protesters.
‘Michael was wearing an orange vest with ‘media’ on the back, which had been given to him by First Nations representatives to indicate he had permission to film the ceremonies,’ the post read.
‘Michael has been attending these events to spend time with First Nation Elders to learn their history and traditions.’
Police believe the fire most likely started when an Aboriginal smoking ceremony approved by police got out of control. Pictured: The burned building
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy, a permanent protest occupation site near the building, said it had not approved the smoking ceremony and condemned the protesters who started the fire.
Emergency services rushed to the scene to put out the flames but not before the fire had caused extensive damage, as protesters were heard yelling ‘let it burn’.
Observers of the plumes of black smoke outside the building’s entrance said rally attendees also identified themselves as anti-government.
The fire comes just one week after a similar blaze was lit at the historic site which served as Australia’s federal parliament from 1927 until 1988.
Crowds of protesters began gathering almost a fortnight ago ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy which was established in 1972.
A federal police forensic team was later seen examining the scorched front entrance of the building and taking samples from the fire-damage
Protesters stand in front of the burned out doors to Old Parliament House on Thursday
Australia’s current Parliament House was established in 1988 on Capitol Hill a short distance away, with the historic building now used as a museum and heritage site.
After firefighters distinguish the blaze protesters continued to clash with media crews and police, some chanting ‘long live us’ and ‘stop telling lies’.
While leaders used a megaphone to talk about Indigenous rights and colonisation, baffled onlookers recorded the plumes of smoke pouring out of the building.
After firefighters distinguish the blaze protesters continued to clash with media crews and police, some chanting ‘long live us’ and ‘stop telling lies’ (pictured, a protestor holds a flag)
Emergency services rushed to the scene to put out the flames but not before the fire had caused extensive damage, as protesters were heard yelling ‘let it burn’
