Protesters planning rallies on the streets of Sydney’s CBD for Palestine and other causes have been told to “give it a break” by senior police, who have warned arrests can be expected for anyone ignoring the ban introduced in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Protesters planning to march at two demonstrations despite a ban have been warned to expect riot police and officers with long firearms.

There was chaos across the country on Australia Day as tens of thousands rallied, with arrests and vandalism occurring across multiple states as rival Invasion Day and anti-immigration March for Australia protests were held nationwide.

Pro-Palestine protesters have returned to Sydney's streets in defiance of new laws, vowing they will try to disrupt a proposed visit by the Israeli president.

A man has been arrested over alleged neo-Nazi comments he made during Sydney's March for Australia protest. Sporting legend Cathy Freeman has been awarded Australia's highest honour, a little more than 25 years after she sent the nation into a frenzy with her Olympic gold medal at Sydney 2000.

NSW Police has sent a strong message to pro-Palestine protesters set to defy an ongoing protest ban in Sydney, vowing to respond to the rally “in numbers”.

The decision from NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon is a compromise to allow the annual Invasion Day march in the Sydney CBD to go ahead.