NT Police seize 32 guns in anti-vax arrests

Weapons allegedly seized, six more arrested for anti-mandate protests outside Darwin’s CBD.

UPDATE TUES 6PM: A CACHE of weapons has allegedly been seized as police arrest six more men in connection to this weekend’s anti-vax/anti-mandate protests outside Darwin’s CBD.

Northern Territory Police announced on Tuesday they had made numerous fresh arrests and infringement notices following the Saturday protests.

A 58-year-old man has been charged with assaulting police.

Police allegedly seized 32 firearms and a large amount of ammunition, and the 58-year-old was served a firearms licence and suspension notice.

He was bailed to appear on December 16.

Three men, aged 29, 36 and 42, were also charged with assaulting police, as well as taking part in a riot and breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions.

The two younger men have been granted bail, with the 29-year-old to appear in Darwin Local Court on December 7 and the 38-year-old to appear on Dec 16.

The 42-year-old was issued a notice to appear at the court on December 8.

Two men, aged 28 and 31, have been charged with hindering police, taking part in a riot and breaching the health directions.

They were given a notice to appear, with court dates set for December 7 and 9, respectively.

Detective Superintendent Peter Kennon said condemned the attacks on police this weekend.

“The violent protest on Saturday is still being investigated, our efforts will now expand specifically to those who were acting in contravention of the CHO directions,” Detective Superintendent Peter Kennon said.

“Assaults on our officers won’t be tolerated, neither will blatant disregard for public health and safety.”

EARLIER UPDATE: AN individual involved in Saturday’s anti-mandate clash with NT Police has been arrested for allegedly flicking an unknown liquid at officers, while another person has been handed a notice to appear.

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said extensive efforts had resulted in the actions.

“They’ve been given the indication that we’ll be laying the charge of hinder police and taking part in riotous behaviour,” he said.

“We’re also in contact with an individual that we identified who we believe had thrown some liquid at a number of our police officers. Through communication we facilitated the attendance of that person this morning to the local police station where they were arrested and they’re currently in custody waiting to be charged.

“There’s another individual that we’re in the process of identifying and we’ll follow a similar process that relates to that individual.”

The clash on Saturday resulted in police officers allegedly being pelted with rocks and an unknown substance thrown at them.

Mr Chalker said it had yet to be confirmed what the liquid was, with an item being sent interstate for forensic analysis. He said further fines would begin to be handed out.

“Suffice to say though, there has been an additional amount of work as it relates to those who were not wearing masks, as the case was on Saturday,” Mr Chalker said.

“Infringement notices will start to be issued through the course of today and ongoing for those individuals who blatantly chose to disregard the directions. It’s a disappointing outcome that’s going to tie up a lot of our police resources but my police officers do not deserve to be subjected to the treatment that we saw.”

EARLIER: TWO NT Police officers were left with chemical burns after allegedly being sprayed by a mystery substance during a series of ‘cowardly’ attacks between anti-mandate protesters and law enforcement last weekend.

NT Police Association President Paul McCue said officers were pelted with rocks and sprayed with an unknown substance during the March Against The Mandates protest outside Darwin’s CBD last weekend.

Mr McCue said the two officers were injured and left with a “burning sensation” from the mystery chemicals.

He said the substance had been sent for testing but the results were still unknown.

Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker said on Monday one of the officers was still receiving treatment for his burns, while other police members suffered cuts from the protest.

“Officers were left bleeding as a result of that,” Mr Chalker said.

He said seven people were arrested in the clash near the police checkpoint, while another two were arrested after acting disruptively at the Darwin Police Station believing their fellow anti-mandate protesters were locked up inside.

Those arrested face charges ranging from breaching the chief health officer’s orders and disorderly behaviour.

It is unknown if anyone had been formally charged with assaulting a police officer however more charges are expected.

Mr Chalker said police were waiting to finalise interviews before they “determine the next course of action”, but he suggested charges of aggravated assault were likely to follow.

Mr McCue has condemned the violence as “inexcusable and cowardly”.

“Any acts of violence against police officers while they are performing their duties to keep Territorians safe should be punished to the full extent of the law,” he said.

A Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services spokesman said the crowd of unmasked protesters swelled from 500 people to a peak of 1000 on Saturday.

The clash started after a convoy of cars attempted to breach a police checkpoint into the CBD, at Darwin High School.

The group then chose to march through parkland but were halted by a strong police presence.

Some members of the unmasked crowd threw punches, chucked chemicals and pelted rocks at officers and police responded with pepper spray.

The minimum fine for anyone found to have breached the chief health officer’s orders would face a fine of $5024.

Mr Chalker warned anyone who thought they had escaped punishment for their involvement in the march that “we certainly know the people involved”.

The protest was organised under Darwin’s lockout, where fully vaccinated Territorians can go about their business normally while unvaccinated must stay home

Chief Minister Michael Gunner thanked Territory police officers who put themselves on the frontline and criticised the fiasco on Saturday, calling it “anti-Territorian”.

Originally published as NT Police seize 32 guns in anti-vax arrests