Yesterday was a tumultuous day for Brisbane's indigenous community, from a pre-dawn eviction of a makeshift tent embassy at Musgrave Park in South Brisbane and impromptu protest marches through the city centre. Amy Remeikis was there to document the entire day, from beginning to end.

The police moved in just before dawn.

Musgrave Park at West End was surrounded by officers.

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The media were directed to a staging point on the corner on Cordelia and Glenelg Streets, but getting there from the Cordelia Street side was difficult.

All side streets linking to the park were cordoned off, even for those on foot. While members of the media tweeted they were being escorted out of the tent embassy site, police were denying others entry.

Reaching the staging area required the showing of ID, both photo and a business card and following police directions to the letter; no, step back three steps please but once in the required area, the media were largely ignored.

For a while, nothing happened. Protesters came in support of the tent embassy members, establishing an area across the road from the park. A microphone and mobile speaker were quickly found. Speeches were made. Songs were sung. Across the road, those inside the fence erected around the embassy alternatively danced, cheered and yelled.

The sticking point in the negotiations was the sacred fire, started from embers from a similar fire at the Canberra tent embassy, where the idea for corresponding tent embassies across the nation was hatched.

Brisbane City Council wanted everything cleared before the Paniyiri Greek Festival this weekend, including the fire.

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Anatomy of a protest