Canberra: The fire damaged the front door and the exterior of the Australian old parliamentary house in Canberra on Thursday.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, even though a small group of protesters had gathered outside the building.
A witness told Melbourne 3AW radio station that he heard the song protesters “let it burn.” Social media recording shows the fire jump over the door, thick smoke feathers rise above the building, and the police dragged the protesters from the front stairs.
The Australian capital city emergency service said they were called to the scene before noon and found the front doors down.
The building was evacuated as a precautionary measure and crew extinguish the fire.
The protesters previously lit a fire in the building on December 21 and there were protests every day outside the building for the past five days.
Barnaby Joyce’s deputy prime minister said it was “absolute disgrace” if the fire intentionally turned on.
“This is a parliament that for so long supports the freedom we have as democracy, and make decisions that make up as a nation, struggling to improve the rights and correction of our colonial past,” he said.
“If someone tries to make a statement then it is a very bad one who will be accepted with extraordinary disgust,” he added.
The building was home to the federal parliament from 1927 to 1988, when a new building was opened.
This building is now registered at the National Heritage Register and is home to the Australian Democratic Museum.
The Museum website said it was closed until further notice.
Damage to front of the front of the Australian old parliamentary house
