Anti-lockdown protester arrested in Coffs, five PINs issued at Brelsford Park

Protesters who descended on Brelsford Park at the weekend were met with a big police presence following warnings.

One man has been arrested and five others issued with infringement notices following an anti-lockdown protest in Coffs Harbour.

The protest was part of co-ordinated national actions by various groups in opposition to a variety of issues relating to Covid-19, including the Public Health Orders and the vaccination rollout.

Following a warning from Coffs/Clarence Police, on Saturday a large police presence was seen in Brelsford Park for a planned protest.

Inspector Brett Henderson-Smith confirmed they issued five PINs to individuals allegedly breaching the Public Health Orders at the CBD park and also arrested a 57-year-old man.

He was charged with resisting arrest and breaching the Public Health Order and was issued a court attendance notice to appear at Coffs Harbour Local Court on September 13.

Insp. Henderson-Smith said there were between 10 and 15 protesters at the park. No PINs were issued in Grafton, where similar protests were planned.

Protesters at July’s Freedom March in Coffs Harbour. The Coffs Harbour Freedom and Rights group's Facebook page is filled with a great deal more than anti-vaccination messages.

A post shared on a local Facebook group encouraged people to treat the meet up in Brelsford Park as a “freedom exercise walk/rally” in an apparent attempt to circumvent the Public Health Orders.

“Remember to walk in a single file in a congo (sic) chain, so they can’t fine you, and take a fabric mask,” the since-deleted post read.

Insp. Brett Henderson-Smith said it was put to police officers that protesters were simply exercising.

“But their actions indicated that they were doing more than exercising, they were doing other things … that were outside the Public Health Orders.”

“An illegal protest is not a reason to breach the Public Health Order and if people participate in that type of action they can expect that action will be taken by the police.”

There were many more protesters at Brelsford Park back in February for the ‘Millions March’ to protest vaccinations. Photo: Tim Jarrett

More than 150 people turned out for the Millions March Against Mandatory Vaccinations at the same venue in February and the park filled up again in July at the same time thousands marched in Sydney. 

While there are many who have genuine concerns over a person’s right to be vaccinated or not, there are also a range of bizarre conspiracy theories which have become synonymous with the anti-vax and anti-lockdown movement.

The conspiracies range from underground paedophile networks to the use of the Covid-19 vaccination as a bioweapon. Some believe the virus is not real and is being used by governments for nefarious purposes.

An example of a Covid-19 misinformation flyer that was put in a letter box in Bellingen in July.

Those theories are prevalent across the internet and on social media though in recent weeks there have been increasing reports of misinformation being spread by mail.

One Bellingen resident was so concerned she spoke out about it, labelling those who anonymously distributed the information as “cowardly”.

Despite the action, Insp. Henderson-Smith said the protesters were in the minority.

“The vast majority of the public are doing the right thing in relation to complying with the orders in difficult circumstances and it’s much appreciated by the police,” he said.