UPDATE: Protesters charged with serious assault
Police have confirmed three people are in custody following a violent fracas at the Gympie Regional Council offices in Mary St today.
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UPDATE:
THREE people have been charged with a total of 12 charges following yesterday's violent protest at Gympie Regional Council offices in Mary St, police have confirmed.
Two males and one female, in their late 40s and early 50s, will appear in Gympie Magistrates Court today on serious charges.
At least one of the defendants is charged with assault occasioning bodily harm against members of council staff and serious assault against police.
Other charges for the three defendants include trespass and commit public nuisance.
UPDATE: Police have confirmed three people are in custody following a violent fracas at the Gympie Regional Council offices in Mary St today.
The brawl broke out about 10.30am after two men and a woman entered the building to assert their sovereignty over the land as self-proclaimed representatives of Sovereign Native Tribes of the Kabi Kabi First Nation State, witnesses say.
"It was scary," a witness told The Gympie Times who said the altercation lasted for about 10 minutes.
He said one of the protesters was very angry and was yelling as he jumped the front counter.
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"One of the council staff that served them needed ambulance assistance from being abused," he said.
"Lucky the mayor came to the rescue to restrain those two guys with other council staff at the front counter.
He said police arrived quickly, but the man resisted arrest and a back-up police car arrived to assist with the situation.
He said two men were handcuffed and taken into police custody. A woman was also taken into custody, but went under her own will.
A police spokesman said there have been no charges laid yet, but CCTV footage from inside the council office is being investigated.
The council office will remain closed until tomorrow.
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