Protesters rally against far-right commentator Lauren Southern in Broadmeadows
POLICE say they used “significant resources” to stop violent protesters last night outside alt-right commentator Lauren Southern’s Melbourne show, with one man arrested for assaulting police.
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UPDATE: VIOLENT protesters clashed with police and closed down a major highway outside an alt-right commentator’s Melbourne show on Friday night.
More than 100 anti-racism protesters rallied outside La Mirage reception centre in Somerton, where Canadian YouTuber Lauren Southern began her Australian speaking tour.
One man was arrested for assaulting a police officer and four others were kicked out of the venue. The officer sustained minor injuries.
Victoria Police said they’re “disappointed” after calls for a peaceful demonstration were ignored.
LAUREN SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA TOUR ANNOUNCED
SOUTHERN’S VISA REJECTED ON EVE OF TOUR
Commander Tim Hansen of North-West Metro said officers could have been used more effectively across Melbourne on a Friday night and it was disappointing they had to use “significant resources” to mediate between the groups.
“Their actions put their lives, the lives of the public and the lives of police officers at risk,” he said.
A security guard was also issued a penalty notice for carrying a controlled weapon.
The Hume Hwy was blocked in both directions for more than two hours as the demonstration spilt on to the road in an attempt to block buses transporting people to the event.
The riot squad, mounted police, dog squad and police air wing were called in to hold back the crowd as they charged at the bus.
Several protesters were almost run over as they attempted to stop the reversing coach.
OC spray was deployed and police batons were used against the protesters, some of whom were wearing scarves to cover their faces.
Members of the crowd punched and shoved each other, with people pulled over the road’s rope barriers amid the melee.
Inside the venue, a young woman, Nita Habibi, was among several protesters who attempted to storm the stage while Ms Southern, 23, spoke to the crowd of about 800.
The Herald Sun has been told a wedding was also being held at the reception centre with guests forced to walk along the highway to reach the venue.
Event organisers had attempted to keep the location of the controversial show a secret by instructing ticket holders to meet at nearby Broadmeadows train station and be shuttled into the event.
A smaller protest was staged at the station with police also on site from 4pm before the group moved to the reception centre.
The group was eventually marched off the highway by police and dispersed about 9.30pm.
Paramedics assessed a man in his 20s for facial injuries, while another in his 50s was taken to the Northern Hospital.
On Friday, the Herald Sun revealed Ms Southern was slapped with a bill of almost $68,000 by Victoria Police for the extra police presence.
In an email from Victoria Police seen by the Herald Sun, the total cost for the event was quoted as $230,000, but it said police would only charge Ms Southern $67,842.50.
A police spokesman said Victoria Police “has the right to charge any event organiser for the use of police resources”.
Ms Southern’s tour management told the Herald Sun they did not request the police presence and would be fighting the bill.
The decision to force Ms Southern to pay the cost of the extra police presence came after violent left-wing activists turned Melbourne streets into a war zone during a talk by right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos six months ago.
Tickets for the controversial YouTuber’s speaking tour sold for up to $750.
Ms Southern, 23, was refused entry to the UK earlier this year for inciting racial tension and was also banned from speaking at council-owned venues in Auckland.
Uniformed and mounted police at Broadmeadows station where buses are taking ticket holders to Lauren Southern’s show nearby. Police also onsite at event venue @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/V5XmswvHlf
— Genevieve Alison (@GenevieveAlison) July 20, 2018
ALT-RIGHT ACTIVIST GETS TASTE OF AUSSIE HUMOUR
EARLIER, Ms Southern went “undercover” as herself in Melbourne, asking punters if she should be killed.
But the responses are laced with some traditional Aussie sarcasm, and most have to ask who Ms Southern actually is.
“They don’t actually know what I look like, isn’t it cute?” she says, after people fail to recognise her.
In a video posted on her YouTube channel ahead of her controversial Melbourne show tonight, she posed the question “Should we kill Lauren Southern?” to several people outside the State Library and along Swanston St.
“Why would we do that?” deadpans one man.
“Murder her? No?” says another, with a typical upwards inflection.
“Oh gees I don’t know, in front of a tram?” suggests one woman.
But she’s rumbled eventually, when a woman clues on and asks if it’s her, to which Ms Southern says: “All blonde people look the same”.
