Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s car vandalised by protesters at UQ
Scott Morrison had to be escorted from the University of Queensland by police after protesters vandalised the Prime Minister’s car during a visit to the St Lucia campus. A teenage woman has been charged. SEE THE VIDEO HERE
QLD News
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison had to be escorted from the University of Queensland in a police car on Monday morning, after his own car was vandalised by protesters.
The PM was on campus visiting the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.
Protesters threw red paint across his car while a group of people were outside chanting about the freedom of refugees currently detained inside the Kangaroo Point Hotel.
A 19-year-old woman from South Brisbane has been charged with public nuisance following the ambush.
She is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on January 5, 2021.
Mr Morrison left the building shortly after 10:30am and had to run straight into the back of a police car while surrounded by several body guards.
A couple of protesters yelled and chased him to the car, shouting at him to “free, free the refugees.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was “completely unacceptable” that the Prime Minister’s car had been targeted by protesters.
“I’m not aware of that, but that’s completely unacceptable,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“As I’ve always said, everyone should be showing respect.”
Tomatoes, brussels sprouts and fake red blood were also thrown at two different entries into the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, which currently houses UQ’s COVID-19 research.
A fire safety officer was caught in the crossfire with fake blood sprayed over his shirt and head.
The Refugee Solidarity group had earlier taken to Facebook with a live stream of today’s event, calling for more people to join in the protest and block Mr Morrison’s exit from the building.
“Why don’t you come out and face up to your crimes against humanity?,” the caption on the video reads.
“We’re at UQ – Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Building – come down don’t let him out.”
Before Mr Morrison’s exit, a protester could be heard shouting through a megaphone outside the building, “ScoMo’s a wanker,” while campus security and police barricaded several roads near the building in an attempt to get the PM out safely.
A photo posted on UQ Senator Drew Pavlou’s page of the vandalism has drawn mixed responses from Facebook users.
One user in support of the protesters wrote, “people need to visually reminded sometimes that they are complicit with killing innocent people.”
While another user called for police action: “hope charges of damaging public property are coming.”
Another commenter wrote “not the sort of behaviour that will increase positive awareness for their cause. Just put them 10 steps backwards,” prompting a user to reply: “Oh wise mighty overseer do tell us what actually works to raise positive awareness out of the dozens of different methods that have been tried …”.