Aussies divided as NEW footage emerges of the moments before Anthony Albanese spoke at anti-violence rally and 'made female organiser cry'

New footage has surfaced of Anthony Albanese asking to speak at an anti-violence protest, stirring up further debate about his actions after the organiser accused him of lying.

The protest in Canberra on Sunday, organised by woman's violence charity What Were You Wearing, was demanding action after the deaths of at least 26 women in 2024 at the hands of men, many their partners.

Mr Albanese told the crowd he had initially been asked not to speak, prompting rally organiser Sarah Williams to say that was 'a flat-out lie' as she started to cry.

But in a longer video taken before Mr Albanese spoke to the crowd, Ms Williams can be heard saying she did not want politicians, including the Prime Minister, to address the protest.

'I actually, to be honest, don't really want anyone to speak because I don't think they should be given the microphone,' she is heard saying, as Mr Albanese stood nearby.

'I do think it's going to be the s*** Sarah show ...and I'm going to become the next Brittany Higgins'.

'I'm happy for my What Were You Wearing team to talk with the ministers, hear what they have to say and then we'll consider the decision of them speaking in about ten minutes.'

It was at this moment Mr Albanese declares: 'Do you want me to speak or not? I am the Prime Minister.'

Ms Williams, looking directly at Mr Albanese, replies: 'But I'm not having any attacks towards myself or the organisation.'

'Speaking or not speaking,' she asks the crowd, who appear to respond overwhelmingly in favour of Mr Albanese speaking.

Ms Williams then hands him the microphone and he starts his address.

While the incident was initially regarded as a PR disaster for Mr Albanese, the context given by the longer clip led some to take the Prime Minister's side.

'I'm no big Albo fan but from this video, to me, it seems really apparent that Albo was there under the expectation he would NOT be speaking,' they wrote.

'To me, implies he had been told organisers didn't want him to speak, and then when asked he seemed confused.'

Another said: 'Albo is guilty of nothing but a poorly phrased confirmation that the organiser wants him to speak'.

Many accused Ms Williams and other organisers of 'handling it badl, turning what should have been a powerful protest into a political spat.  

'The focus, instead of being what should be done to fix the issue of men's violence against women, is now on figuring out the shitstorm of where they accuse the PM of lying (he did not),' wrote one.

However, not everyone was convinced the extended footage excused Mr Albanese  from accusations of being intrusive.

'He still spoke over her from a position of power and pretended she wasn't there while trying to make a point,' one commenter said.

Ms Williams was adamant Mr Albanese had misrepresented the situation.

'The Prime Minister of this country lied to his country today,' she wrote on Sunday. 

'Albanese's office made it clear he was just walking and was not interested in speaking. Myself and WWYW never denied him from speaking. He never asked to speak'.

Ms Williams also claimed she overheard Mr Albanese say, 'I'm the prime minister. I run this country.'

Ms Williams said she wanted an apology from Mr Albanese for causing her distress, and to be included in consultations about what was needed from government to alleviate domestic violence.

'If he does think I've done a good job, why hasn't he reached out, why aren't we meeting soon, why am I not meeting with an advisor?' Ms Williams said.

'It would be nice to have a response from him to actually figure out what happened, to see if we could make change, because the priority is to resolve violence against women.'

Daily Mail Australia previously contacted Mr Albanese for further comment.