Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologized for saying there was no slavery in Australia

Speak on a press conference in Canberra Friday, Morrison said he was referring specifically to the fact that the first Australian colony in New South Wales was established without the widespread use of slave labor.

Morrison initially made a statement during a radio interview on Thursday, where he was discussing Black Lives Matter protests in the United States and around the world, and calls to remove the statue of the British explorer James Cook, whose arrival in Australia paved the way for the first European colony.

“My ancestors and my ancestors were in the First and Second Fleet (of convict settlers). It was a very brutal place, but there was no slavery in Australia,” Morrison said in an interview Thursday.

With more protests planned for the coming weeks, Morrison warned the public on Friday not to attend upcoming demonstrations in support of racial equality, saying the presence was against health advice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This is not about this issue, this is about the health and well-being of the people and I will urge Australians to respect that by not attending these events,” Morrison said. “I don’t believe there should be double standards. Australians have made great sacrifices to bring us to where we are today.”

On Thursday, the New South Wales Supreme Court issued an order banning the Sydney march scheduled for Saturday on health grounds and because of locking measures.

Another protest scheduled for Sydney on Friday, called “Stop Black Death in Detention: Solidarity with Long Bay Prisoners.” The organization’s current event page shows that more than a thousand people have signaled their intention to attend.

There are no orders to oppose Friday’s protests, but the social distance rules in the state limit the number of people allowed to gather outside the house at 10 o’clock. This limit is expected to increase to 20 from Saturday.