Supporters of Novak Djokovic spark violent scenes in Melbourne

There have been violent scenes in Melbourne as supporters of Novak Djokovic eagerly awaited his release from detention.

Supporters of Novak Djokovic have sparked violent scenes on the streets of Melbourne.

Fans of the world No. 1 had gathered outside the offices of his lawyers after the decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa was quashed earlier on Monday.

Police pepper sprayed a group of fans after they blocked the path of a car they believed was carrying Djokovic.

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Extraordinary. And it’s turned violent.
Police pepper spraying Novak fans .. as they swamp a black Audi leaving the carpark, assuming it’s Novak. @[e-mail]/lhu7Zid4EX

— Adam Hegarty (@ajhegarty9) January 10, 2022

Absolute mayhem by Novak Djokovic’s lawyer’s office on Collins Street. A car leaving the office is completely surrounded by people cheering “free Nole” pic.twitter.com/H3mAsEHSdX

— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) January 10, 2022

Police clash with Novak Djokovic supporters in Melbourne who gathered outside his lawyers office. Police use pepper spray and streets are blocked off. #novakdjokovicpic.twitter.com/9n44g9n2UX

— Danielle Robertson (@Danielle_Rob) January 10, 2022

Supporters, many dressed in Serbian coloured clothes, were eager to get a glimpse of Djokovic and turned up in numbers outside his lawyers’ offices in Rialto Tower on Collins Street.

A black Mercedes emerged from the building at around 8.45pm and was immediately mobbed by the crowd.

Fans gather in Melbourne to get a glmpse of Novak Djokovic. (Photo by Diego Fedele/Getty Images)

The car leaving the Rialto that might contain Novak Djokovic. Picture: Josie Hayden

Cheers of “Free Nole” (Serbian for Free Novak) went up and the singing and dancing near the car became louder and eventually people were banging on the car’s windows and dancing on top of the car.

Police began moving people away from the front of the car. Then some supporters reacted angrily by shoving police offers and verbally abusing them.

Once the crowd thinned, a group of fans confronted police and threw bottles at them, forcing the police to retreat.

Fans and police officers were seen wiping their eyes to clear the pepper spray away.

News.com.au is aware no police were hurt during the scenes and that no arrests have been made.

The violence was over by around 9pm. It was unclear if the car in question, which had tinted windows, was carrying Djokovic.

The 20-time grand slam winner is a free man at least for now, after a spokersperson for Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he was still considering whether or not to cancel Djokovic’s visa again.

The spokesperson said “it remains within Immigration Minister Hawke’s discretion to consider cancelling Mr Djokovic’s visa under his personal power of cancellation within section 133C(3) of the Migration Act.”

“The Minister is currently considering the matter and the process remains ongoing.”

Originally published as Supporters of Novak Djokovic spark violent scenes in Melbourne