Prime Minister Julia Gillard attacked by Protesters on Australia Day - FOOTAGE

Protesters trap Gillard and Abbott
About 200 protesters trapped Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in a Canberra restaurant before police arrived to clear a passage for the pair.

The protesters, from the nearby Aboriginal tent embassy, banged on the three glass sides of The Lobby restaurant chanting "shame" and "racist".

Ms Gillard and Mr Abbott had just spoken at a ceremony for the inaugural national emergency medals.

At least 50 police, including the riot squad, were called to the scene shortly after 2.30pm (AEDT).

The two leaders, protected by police and security officers, escaped out a side door after about 20 minutes.

The Prime Minister stumbled as she was rushed to an awaiting vehicle, lost a shoe in the chaos and was helped up by police who were confronted by the protesters.

There had been false reports that the Prime Minister had been tackled. Ms Gillard's office confirmed she slipped as she was leaving the building.

Protesters chased their car down the road, banging on its roof and bonnet. Police formed a cordon across the road to let the vehicle get away while eight indigenous women sat on the road facing them.

The embassy is celebrating a 40-year milestone with a three-day "Corroboree for Sovereignty" with thousands of indigenous Australians travelling to Canberra for the occasion.

Tensions boiled over on Thursday afternoon following comments Mr Abbott made in Sydney earlier in the day.

Mr Abbott said he understood why the tent embassy was set up "all those years ago".

"I think a lot has changed for the better since then," he told reporters.

"I think the indigenous people of Australia can be very proud of the respect in which they are held by every Australian.

"I think a lot has changed since then, and I think it probably is time to move on from that."

For many Aboriginal people Australia Day is considered Invasion Day.

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[pawanimz1]

@fractalheadache :L

[fractalheadache]

@pawanimz1 YAWN

[pawanimz1]

@fractalheadache lol waste of space u are! Racist kieeent :)

[meakd]

socialist rat-bag

[I1lus1ve]

@gunailad

Aboriginals had 50,000 years to advance and out of all the natives all over the world they were the least advanced by far. Even American Indians call abos sub humans.

[I1lus1ve]

@gunailad

And that's why there's over 300 documented of it, yep you got destroyed.

[gunailad]

There are no tool marks on any mega fauna bones, all theory although when murdoch owns most of the media and plays to the fears of the simple majority its easy to see how reality and fantasy get confused, aussies have spent 230 years trying to justify genocide with little gained, read "the biggest estate on earth" to see whos brain actually works, it will make you more educated then Australians, history is a dirty word, ignored by dirty people is aus, aussies dont know about a land they live in?

[gunailad]

Their is no bigger bludger then aussies, they would all be poor on the streets if they werent theifs, funny they talk about handout, aussies are the definition of bludgers, read "The biggest estate on earth" Aboriginals were light years ahead in intelligence, and morals, Watch "the first Australians" if your from overseas, disgusting people! Aboriginals biggest problem was we were clean and the whites are very dirty, a shame on the human race, raped little girls then kicked their heads off, dirt

[I1lus1ve]

@paully6996

They wiped out the Megafauna though, they got what they deserved, oh and there's less then 50,000 actual aborigines, all these 10% abo whites are just trash who want benefits. Besides there's already over 2 million Asians, 2 million people from the middle East, India, etc already in Australia. Good luck telling them to leave.

[paully6996]

@paully6996 American Indians.