Victorian Coalition plan for protests to be registered, police powers to be beefed up

A new rally registration system will be rolled out and serial protest pests could face prison time, if the Coalition wins next year’s state election.

Serial protest pests who defy orders to move on from unauthorised rallies would risk spending up to two years behind bars under a Battin-led government.

A new protest registration system, under the control of Victoria Police, would be rolled out and police powers would be beefed up, if the Coalition is elected next year.

The bid to crackdown on violent and extremist rallies follows several anti-Semitic incidents associated with pro-Palestine protests and traffic chaos caused by climate protesters.

Under the proposed NSW-style system, police command would be in charge of protest registrations, rather than local councils.

Organisers who register a protest and their attendees would be protected from offences such as obstruction and unlawful assembly.

A pro-Palestinian rally through the streets of Melbourne on July 6, 2025. Picture: AFP

However, those who fail to register a protest would run the risk of activists racking up a string of charges, and breaching strengthened move-on laws.

The upgraded laws, which were previously scrapped by former premier Daniel Andrews, would see protesters who refuse to move on and disperse at unregistered protests face arrest, on the spot.

Protesters who then breach a court order not to attend a particular location such as the CBD – known as an exclusion order – would face up to two years behind bars and fines of up to $22,000.

The registration system would also give police the intel to deploy resources appropriately ahead of time and re-route protesters away from particular sites, such as synagogues.

A similar system operates in a number of states, including NSW.

Opposition Leader Brad Battin said Victorians were fed up with “chaos” on our streets.

Anti-war activists created chaos at the Land Forces 2024 expo in Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“Whether its activists gluing themselves to the road at peak hour, protests shutting down the CBD, or the deeply disturbing anti-Semitic intimidation we’ve seen outside synagogues and businesses – Labor has completely lost control of the situation,” he said.

Mr Battin said the new party policy protected the right to protest and the right of Victorians to go about their lives without “fear, harassment or disruption”.

Currently, protesters can face jail time for violent disorder, affray and property damage. However, they can only be fined for refusing to move on.

Opposition police spokesman David Southwick accused Labor of ignoring Victoria Police and letting protesters “hijack our streets, intimidate communities and waste thousands of frontline policing hours”.

“Disruptive or disorderly protesters who ignore police directives to move on will face up to two years jail,” he said.

“Victorians are rightly sick and tired of professional activists throwing their lives into chaos and not being held accountable for their behaviour.”

There have been 950 protests related to the conflict in the Middle East since 7 October 2023, resulting in 326 reports relating to anti-Semitism.

Under pressure to respond to a horror night of Jewish hatred on Friday night which saw an Israeli restaurant attacked and synagogue set on fire, the Allan government launched a new “anti-hate” task force.

sA group of about 20 anti-Israel activists targeted Miznon restaurant in Hardware Lane chanting "death to the IDF". Picture: Supplied

Diners at Miznon in Hardware Lane were left terrified when pro-Palestine protesters rampaged through the restaurant. Picture: Supplied

The government is also consulting over proposed laws that would ban face coverings, glue and chains at protests to minimise disruptions.

Acting Premier Ben Carroll said protest permits were discussed during the group’s first meeting but stopped short of saying they were being considered, noting pro-Palestine protests were “by and large” peaceful.

“What we are dealing with is a fringe element that has decided to essentially be violent and intent on causing destruction, and we won’t stand for it,” he said.

The Allan government has ruled out introducing protest permits as part of its response to cracking down on extremist rallies and rampant anti-Semitism.

Despite calls from within the Jewish community for a permit-style system for rallies, the state government has said there are currently no plans to introduce protest permits.

Responding to the Coalition’s pledge to overhaul the state’s protest laws in a bid to stamp out rising Jewish hatred, a spokesperson claimed the Coalition has turned their back on multi faith leaders by not supporting new hate-speech laws.

“We’re getting on with introducing tough new laws targeted at stamping out extreme, dangerous and radical public demonstrations,” she said.

“Under the Liberals, you’re on your own.”

Originally published as Victorian Coalition plan for protests to be registered, police powers to be beefed up