Anti-mask protesters from Church of United Kingdom of Australia gather at Shrine
An anti-mask protester has refused to accept his fine for breaching strict coronavirus restrictions, saying he will fight it at court. It comes as two members of the obscure “freedom” group were arrested and 18 fined.
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Police have arrested two obscure “freedom” protesters and issued 18 fines at the Shrine of Remembrance today.
Shane, who would not reveal his surname, came from Healesville to the CBD by train this morning.
Police slapped the Healesville resident with a $1652 for disobeying the chief health officer’s stay at home orders.
“Today is Australia Day,” he said.
“It is a free country. Since when does the chief health officer make laws for people? I didn’t vote him in.”
Shane did not accept the physical piece of paper police issued with him.
“Why should I accept it,” he said.
“Yeah, I’ll go to court. I’m not paying it.”
Shane was moved on by police and followed to Flinders St station by a divisional van.
Another two anti-maskers were arrested a short time after.
Officers slapped the man with a disposable face mask before putting him in the back of a divisional van.
When asked by the Herald Sun it he thought it was OK not to be wearing a face mask, the man did not respond.
His female accomplice said the pair were “just exercising”.
“All of a sudden, this happened,” she said while being escorted in handcuffs by police.
“We were exercising.”
When asked by reporters why police had arrested her she replied: “Because that is what they want to do.”
A third man dressed in a grey Nike tracksuit was questioned by police.
He chanted “democracy always wins” while being searched for weapons.
The man was not wearing a face mask and claimed he had a “medical exemption” for not wearing a covering.
“This is Australia, we live in a democracy,” he said.
“We are free.”
He was moved on by police.
Two defiant young women were slapped with $1652 fines for refusing to wear masks.
The Herald Sun can reveal one woman was issued another fine last week for not wearing a mask.
The pair were asked why they refused to wear masks amid a global pandemic.
“I don’t believe in propaganda, I don’t enable the lie,” one woman said.
When questioned what exactly she meant, she responded: “That COVID is as contagious as the media says it is.”
A small group of “freedom” protesters gathered outside the eternal flame earlier this morning but were quickly moved on by officers.
Police allowed the obscure group to gather for a short period of time before they were told to move on.
Many carried 1901 Australian Red Ensign flags but all wore face coverings.
Although two adults and a child carrying a flag were seen being spoken to by police about 10.30am.
The ‘Church of United Kingdom’ group described the protest on social media as a Commonwealth of Australia Day event aiming to “exercise a claim to freedom” today.
On Tuesday police warned they would take action and were prepared to heavily fine members of the group as well as others who join them if they break stay at home regulations.
Police spokeswoman Alanna Jarry said the 18 fines were issued to people attending the protest.
“Police directed the individuals to leave the area or receive an infringement notice for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directives,” she said.
“The two people arrested failed to provide their details to police, and also received an infringement notice each.
“Despite the fact individuals who attended the earlier morning protest immediately left the area when requested to do so by police, we have issued four fines to those who attended this event.
“We will continue to investigate the event in order to identify individuals who were in attendance, and plan to issue them with fines for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions.”
This week UKoA spokesman Brett Robert said police would be committing a “war crime” if they tried to break up the gathering.
“The police don’t have the right or the authority to shut us down. They will be held accountable,” Mr Robert said this week.
He said masks were claustrophobic and “if there’s no harm, there’s no crime.”
The Church of UKoA is believed to be linked to other groups including Hardcore Australian and Muster Under the Red Duster.
UKoA was contacted for comment by the Herald Sun.
It is not clear whether there are links between the organisers of Friday’s event and a protest at state parliament in May in which violence broke out and 10 people were arrested.
Those protesters branded coronavirus a conspiracy, suggesting it was created by billionaire Bill Gates.
Among them were demonstrators who claimed the 5G phone network was unsafe and some who slammed compulsory vaccinations.
In June, 10,000 people gathered in the CBD for the Black Lives Matter rally.
Three BLM organisers were hit with $1652 fines but individual demonstrators were not.
Some were critical that police did not make arrests at the event but the force said that was not practical because of the size of the crowd.
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