Australian police to evict Aboriginal protesters

Residents of the Aboriginal tent embassy erect a fence around their camp at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane. Photo / AAP

Police are gathering near a Brisbane park where Aboriginal protesters say they're willing to be arrested in defence of their sovereign rights.

Brisbane City Council has called in the police after protesters at a tent embassy defied a council eviction order.

The protesters have been camping in Musgrave Park for about two months, to draw attention to the sovereign rights of indigenous people.

But the council says they've had ample time to make their point and they must leave the park to make way for a Greek festival this weekend.

Tent embassy organisers have told the ABC they've been advised police will move in to tear down the site on Wednesday morning.

Organiser Wayne Wharton says the 30 protesters are preparing for the police operation, and are prepared to be arrested as they continue to occupy indigenous land.

"Basically what people have got to understand, this is not a camp ground - this is a stand - by First Nation's people or embassies right around the country," Mr Wharton told ABC radio.

"Whether (people) like it or not, or Greek Australia, or any other ethnic immigrant that's come to this country, we own this country, we're fighting for our birthright."

On Tuesday, Premier Campbell Newman said it was time for the protesters to move in, and said "squatter's camps" had no place in public parks.

The reference to squatters angered protesters, who said it was insulting and an attempt to manipulate the public into thinking they were "just homeless people and riffraff".

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-AAP