As TV reporters gathered, supporters linked arms around the school before the morning bell as they sent a message to the Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who is also Minister for the Olympics, and Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King, not to knock down their school for the sake of a two-week sporting event.

The rally occurred at the same time as the Federal Greens investigated the possibility of blocking any federal funding for The Brisbane Cricket Ground - commonly known as the Gabba -  project in the Senate, as reported by Mirage News.

The plan, which would also see the destruction of nearby Raymond Park in Kangaroo Point in order to create a warm-up track, is opposed by elected representatives for the area at all three levels of Government, as well as a growing community campaign.

Originally estimated at AUD1 billion (£55.5 million/$64 million/€64.1million) in cost, Government sources now say the cost could be as high as AUD2.5 billion (£1.4 million/$1.6 million/€1.6 million), even before factoring in the cost of relocating the school.

Max Chandler-Mather, Federal Member for Griffith, said: "If Minister King decides to support the project, the Greens will use the balance of power in the Senate to try and block the Gabba funding, potentially via a disallowance motion.

"We will do everything we can to protect East Brisbane State School and Raymond Park from this disastrous plan.

"The Federal Government should be investing AUD2.5 billion in affordable housing, health and education, not in a plan that will see the destruction of a local school and park all for an extra 8,000 seats and a two-week sporting event.

"Today’s demonstration sends a powerful message to the Federal Government, the only people that want to proceed with this stupid, destructive AUD2.5 billion Gabba plan are members of the State Government."

Amy MacMahon, State member for South Brisbane, said: "This community should be able to feel excited and hopeful about the Olympic Games, but we can’t if this Government is going to go around bulldozing schools and parks.

"Spending over AUD2.5 billion dollars to knock down a state school and stadium, just to build a big white elephant for a one-off event is a huge waste of public money."

Jonathan Sriranganathan, councillor for The Gabba Ward, said: "What kind of sick, twisted Government would prioritise funding to demolish and rebuild sports stadiums ahead of housing homeless people and creating more domestic violence crisis accommodation?

"This must be the first time in Queensland history that elected representatives from all three levels of Government are saying ‘no’ to massive spending on a sports stadium in their electorate - that should raise a big red flag for the relevant Ministers."

Haline Ly, President of East Brisbane State School P&C, said: "The Queensland Government is planning to demolish the Gabba at the end of 2025, and our school cannot survive if this happens.

"We are here to show the Government that we don’t want our school demolished for the Olympics.

"The Olympics was announced 18 months ago, and we have been told nothing. We have no idea if our school will still be here in two years time.

"There are 315 students at East Brisbane State School with families getting ready to enrol their kids next year, and they don’t know where they’ll be learning, playing and meeting their friends in two years’ time.

"We are asking the Government to put education first. The AUD2.5 billion for the Gabba rebuild should be going towards building new schools, not tearing them down."