Big Crowds Good, Smaller Crowds Bad
Three months after Black Lives Matter rallies were held across Australia, governments and police have discovered that crowds and a pandemic are probably not a great combination.
Three months after Black Lives Matter rallies were held across Australia, governments and police have discovered that crowds and a pandemic are probably not a great combination:
A number of protesters have been arrested at the anti-lockdown rallies across Sydney.
Hundreds of conspiracy theorists gathered at Hyde Park for ‘Freedom Day’ on Saturday, which has been endorsed by anti-vax celebrity Pete Evans and controversial boxing champ Anthony Mundine.
Mundine told the Sunday Telegraph on Saturday he supported the anti-lockdown movement and COVID-19 was a sham.
“I support people coming together and standing up against injustice. It’s a dictatorship. A tyrannical reign,” he said.
“COVID is just a symptom of 5G radiation - it’s a cover up.”
Well, obviously. And down in Melbourne:
Victoria Police’s tactical unit has boxed in Freedom Day protesters at Albert Park as crowds gather to rally against the state’s lockdown.
Authorities fear the protests could spread the deadly coronavirus and set the state back months.
Officers tackled numerous people to the ground as others baited police horses.
The Mounted Branch at one point charged at protesters, scattering them from the path.
Hundreds of police tried to gain control of the protest and police helicopters circled overhead after a tense face-off between officers and anti-lockdown supporters at the Shrine of Remembrance.
Sensible people reject both the BLM rallies and these lockdown protests. Likewise, those who had no particular problem with BLM marches are not in a great position to criticise lockdown opponents:
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the “absolutely selfish” behaviour of those planning to attend this morning, with mounting fears the illegal protests could undo all of the state’s hard work.
“It is not safe, it is not smart, it is not law. In fact, it is absolutely selfish for people to be out there protesting,” Daniel Andrews told reporters, as Victoria reported 76 new coronavirus cases and 11 deaths.
Andrews was far more gentle back in June.