Anti-war activists protest Land Forces Expo at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

A video from a Brisbane anti-war protest shows a man being pinned down by the neck during a scuffle with several police officers.

Queensland police were seen pinning a man to the ground by the neck in scuffles connected to an anti-war protest in Brisbane on Tuesday morning.

The protesters showed up in opposition to the Land Forces exposition which was billed as the region’s “premier international land defence exposition, showcasing equipment, technology and services for the armies of Australia and the Indo-Asia-Pacific”.

SEE THE VIDEO BELOW

There was a heavy police presence at the scene, with officers lined up at the steps of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre and a few dozen protesters making noise and holding banners.

A video from an anti-weapons expo protest in Brisbane.

Protesters splattered fake blood on the steps outside, with some holding signs reading “End the arms race” while others beat drums, played loud instruments and chanted “Nazi scum, off our streets”.

CW: violence

Police using excessive force at the protest against weapons expo in Bne this morning. Tackled this person from behind, pulled down their pants, hit them.

1 slapped my phone from my hands when they saw me filming their face, another appears to take off their badge. pic.twitter.com/KNqeAw5YUP

— Emerald Moon (@emeraldxmoon) May 31, 2021

A video from the scene that was posted to Twitter shows several police officers wrestling a protester on the ground, ripping his shirt off and pinning him by the neck.

Emerald Moon, who shot the video, said she started filming after she saw the man being “tackled” to the ground.

“I don’t know what prompted the incident that I filmed, all I saw before that was protesters just basically heckling people attending the weapons expo,” she said.

“I saw two or three officers tackling this person from behind and that’s why I grabbed my phone and started filming.”

Ms Moon, a former Greens candidate for the federal seat of Bowman, said the video showed an officer slapping her phone out of her hand.

Queensland police have been contacted for comment.

Protesters dyed the steps of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre with 'blood' on the first day of the Land Forces Conference. Picture: Disrupt Land Forces

Julie Hislop, a 73-year-old retired teacher, said she was protesting the Queensland Government’s financial support of the event.

“We’ve got enough things to worry about and another major war is the last thing we need,” she said.

“The money that goes into this kind of stuff is phenomenal.”

Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sri took part in the protest outside the Land Forces Expo.

Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sri took part in the protest, which he said was peaceful despite being noisy and disruptive.

Cr Sri however said there had been issues with police.

“Police have been shoving protesters without a formal warning,” he said.

“In some situations they’ve been antagonising protesters and things have been escalating a little bit.”

Anti-war protesters from the Disrupt Land Forces group in South Bank this morning.

In a video, “Disrupt Land Forces” invited everyone to join them to “end war profiteering” and global warming and take part in demonstrations from Tuesday through to Thursday.

The group says it does not want war on Australia’s doorstep and has reportedly been trying to disrupt people from entering the building.

Protesters outside the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre where the Land Forces Expo.

According to a Sunrise report, the group has been “yelling abuse” at people.

One person is said to have been arrested; however, Queensland Police would not confirm.

Originally published as Anti-war activists protest Land Forces Expo at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre