Until recently, the sight of Aussie flags being waved as far as the eye could see would have warmed our hearts, writes Mike Smithson.

It was once a sure sign of national pride, usually associated with sporting events ranging from c’mon Aussie c’mon Test Cricket to Olympic glory.

With a smattering of the famous boxing kangaroo flags, we all knew the vibe was friendly and the atmosphere was safe.

But that tide has turned with an increasing trend of nationalistic gatherings, where the focus is not so much about who we are, but who we don’t want here.

In my opinion, both the Premier and police top brass are hedging their bets on where this newfound form of community energy is heading and how it should be best dealt with.

An anti-immigration rally and others through the city over the weekend drew 15,000 marchers according to official police numbers.

There’s another event to come which organisers predict up to 50,000 people will join.

That seems a stretch, but with emotions rising over current immigration numbers and what the influx is doing to house prices and real estate scarcity, it’s no wonder that generations of South Australians are concerned about when it will stop.

I have strong views about the quantity of people reaching our shores, whether some are legitimately here to make this state and country a better place, or if others genuinely embrace what we have to offer.

I also acknowledge that First Australians probably have the same thoughts dating back to colonisation.

Rallies against immigration are one thing but using them as a spin off into side hustle ideologies such as neo-Nazism and lawless sovereign........

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