Andrija Vucicevic, Marc Hammond: Freedom Day protesters face court
A Coogee man has pleaded not guilty to resisting arrest at a ‘Freedom Day’ protest last month, which rallied against the COVID-19 lockdown, while another protester has denied assaulting a police officer on the day.
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A Coogee man has pleaded not guilty to resisting arrest at an anti-COVID-19 lockdown rally last month, following a dramatic arrest in which he says he was kneed in the head by a police officer.
Police will allege in court Andrija Vucicevic, 44, resisted a senior constable after failing to comply with a move on direction at an “unauthorised gathering” at Hyde Park on Elizabeth St, Sydney, colloquially named “Freedom Day”.
A picture taken by Sydney Morning Herald photographer Brook Mitchell showed Vucicevic being handcuffed as he lay flat on the ground, with blood dripping onto the floor from a wound on his head, and then being led away by police.
Vucicevic told media outside court his bloody minor injuries were caused by a police officer kneeing him in the leg and then the head, after he was asked to leave the park.
Vucicevic said he had heard about the protest, which organisers officially coined “The March of Freedom”, through Facebook and attended because he wanted to speak up.
He said he believes that COVID-19 exists, but doesn’t agree with some public practices and information around COVID-19.
At Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to failing to comply with COVID-19 directions and not guilty to resisting police in the execution of duty.
54-year-old Marc Hammond’s matter was also before court on Wednesday where a not guilty plea was entered for assaulting an officer in the execution of duty, resisting an officer in the execution of duty and not complying with COVID-19 directions, during the September 5 protest.
Protester Love Tru, 56, on Wednesday also pleaded not guilty to complying with a COVID-19 directions.
Nineteen Penalty Infringement Notices of $1000 were issued by police officers in relation to the protests at Hyde Park and another 57 Penalty Infringement Notices were issued and two men were arrested for an unauthorised protest at Cathy Freeman Park at Sydney Olympic Park on the same day.
A protest also took place in Byron Bay on the same day, after which four men were charged.
The three accused are set to appear with other protesters at Downing Centre Local Court on November 5.