Melbourne protest fizzles; Veteran has fine dropped
A veteran who pleaded with protesters at the Shrine to show respect says he is “happy and overwhelmed” police have withdrawn his $5452 fine.
Victoria
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A veteran who went to the Shrine of Remembrance to urge protesters to respect the memorial has had his $5452 fine withdrawn.
Wade Harrison visited the monument after images emerged of the rally on Wednesday, and told the rioters: “The only thing I’m asking, can you please just respect the soldiers and the fallen?”
He was issued with an infringement notice afterwards.
On Friday a Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the fine had been dropped.
“The infringement was withdrawn after it was established that the man was not taking part in the protest or was in breach of chief health officer directions,” she said.
Mr Harrison, who wore his own service medals and those belonging to his grandfathers during the plea, said he was glad funds raised to help pay his fine would entirely go to veterans’ welfare.
“I’m so happy and overwhelmed, it also means I’m not $5000 poorer,” he said.
The stood-down construction worker said the penalty wouldn’t have mattered to him.
Mr Harrison earlier said he had no regrets about visiting the memorial, telling the Herald Sun he “did it for the Diggers and for my grandfathers because they don’t have a voice”.
“Anger didn’t even come into my mind, I was just shocked and hurt by it all,” he said.
Hawthorn RSL sub branch President Lucas Moon said the veteran community would band together to ensure that, if not overturned, the fine was paid.
Mr Moon said a group of veterans from his sub branch, who are also construction workers, went to clean up the mess left by the protesters with the help of police.
The CFMEU on Thursday condemned the protest at the Shrine, hitting out at the “mob” demonstrating against vaccination.
CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said the Shrine commemorated those who served their country in armed conflict and at war.
“These actions are not supported by the vast majority of union members in the construction industry nor the Australian community,” he said in a statement.
“Those who occupied the Shrine should be ashamed of themselves.
“They should reflect on the sacrifices of others and cease these mindless and destructive mob actions.”
Meanwhile, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said “further inquiries into the circumstances” in which Mr Harrison was fined were being made.
“Depending on the outcome Victoria Police may consider withdrawing the infringement,” she said.
DOZENS OF PROTESTERS ARRESTED
Police arrested 92 protesters during Thursday’s anti-lockdown rally in the Melbourne CBD.
The arrests related to breaches of the CHO directions, as well as other matters including outstanding warrants.
A police spokeswoman urged anyone thinking of coming into the city without a lawful excuse to stay home.
“Victoria Police will continue to provide a highly visible presence across the city over the coming days,” she said.
It comes after Thursday’s anti-lockdown fizzled out, following three consecutive days of illegal demonstrations.
As of 2pm on Thursday, the group of self-proclaimed ‘freedom fighters’ had failed to gather in Melbourne despite the bold promise they would rally “every day” through a two week construction lockdown.
Keen participants squabbled on encrypted social media platforms about the potential meet up location for today’s event.
Riot police braced for a significant gathering at Carlton Gardens, which did not eventuate.
They also monitored the vaccination hub at the Royal Exhibition Centre.
Police will keep their eyes on a St Kilda beach this afternoon as the weather warms up to a beautiful 21C.
Earlier on Thursday, police swarmed major vaccination centres as anti-jab protesters threatened to target the hubs.
Two vaccination facilities in Melbourne’s CBD were shut down amid safety fears after staff were spat on by the anti-jab mob during Wednesday’s violent protests.
In a tweet, cohealth announced its Central City and Melbourne Town Hall vaccination centres had been “forced to close for client and staff safety”.
“We hope to be safe to open by Monday 27 September so we can continue providing health care to our city,” the tweet said.
The closure is a blow to desperate Melburnians awaiting the easing of restrictions, which are based on vaccination targets.
Cohealth chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz confirmed vaccine staff had been abused by protesters on their way to work.
“I am distressed to report that there have been several incidents of cohealth health workers being physically and verbally abused in the city while on their way to work, targeted because they were wearing their cohealth identification,” she said.
Staff have now been forced to remove their uniforms, lanyards and scrubs in the city over fears of more attacks.
Many vulnerable Melburnians will be unable to get jabbed as a result of the closures.
“Due to the increasingly violent and unpredictable nature of the protests in the city, we have made the difficult decision to close the cohealth Melbourne Town Hall vaccination Centre as well as our Central City homelessness service, and our street based outreach services until Monday,” she said.
“This means people experiencing homelessness can no longer access vital services and supports at Central City and at least 200 people per day will no longer be able to access the vaccine from the Melbourne Town Hall.”
“The cohealth Melbourne Town Hall vaccination centre was opened as a safe place for people to come to get vaccinated if they are facing disadvantage, so shutting the doors is a very difficult decision.”
Ms Bartholomeusz said staff — and all health workers — deserved to feel safe at work.
“I am shocked at the treatment of people who deserve nothing but our utmost gratitude and praise for working throughout the pandemic to ensure everyone gets the support and healthcare they need,” she said.
“We condemn all acts of harassment and violence and stand in steadfast support of all Victorian health workers.
“We urge the Victorian community to give their fullest support and compassion to all health workers at this time.”
Premier Daniel Andrews condemned the “ugly” actions of protesters.
“Why would you spit on people who are doing that sort of work? That is ugly. That is uncalled for,” he said.
Meanwhile, bus loads of police have arrived at CFMEU headquarters and are patrolling nearby streets, questioning passers-by as to why they are in the CBD as Melbourne braces for a fourth day of chaos.
The protest was scheduled to begin at 10am but demonstrators are yet to converge at 540 Elizabeth St.
Mounted police are also on scene.
It comes as agitators from a right-wing anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination group have encouraged others to “turn up in your work uniform”, as Melbourne braces for more violence on the streets.
Members of the Melbourne Freedom Rally Telegram group — including people claiming to be tradies, nurses and teachers — vowed to wreak more havoc on the streets of Melbourne CBD.
“So they can see how many different industries are standing up,” one group member wrote on the encrypted messaging app.
“Some of the nurses are going to turn up in scrubs,” another said.
One user wrote that high vis had been “vilified”.
“Everyone start turning up in suits, shirts/ties, dress shoes. Look smart, look sophisticated,” they said.
One user wrote: “What if at 10am nurses start at the ANMF in Melb, tradies at CMFEU, teachers at the Uni of Melb education building. Then join together in the middle of the CBD at 12. Show the unity of all Victorians”.
Another wrote: “My wife’s a teacher, she’s devastated, most teachers in her school have been double jabbed. I think the unvaxxed are a minority in that industry”.
It comes a day after authorities announced mandatory vaccinations for teachers and early-childhood educators.
It is not yet known whether Melbourne Freedom Rally demonstrators plan to return to the Shrine of Remembrance but have again marked their starting point as CFMEU headquarters, where the protests first exploded on Monday.
Today marks the date by which all construction workers were required to have received their first dose of the vaccine.
Dubbing it the “official jab day”, one member suggested the group protest at state-run vaccination centres.
“Get the people there to wake up,” they said.
“You’re allowed to legally be there. Just stand in the massive line until the numbers are there,” another added.
One user even proposed demonstrators queue at a vaccination centre to “slow it down”.
“Be quiet, then start singing and dancing and waking people up.”
In response to police’s request that media aerial footage be delayed by one hour, one member suggested they find “someone with a drone with a streamable camera”.
“We need our own aerial intel and recon,” they said.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton described this week’s protests as “madness”.
“It defies common sense what is occurring,” the state’s top cop said on 3AW on Wednesday.
“We will prevent it as much as we can. It is a group of people who are putting themselves above others.”
He said he acknowledged Victorians were fatigued, but now was not the time to protest.
“We realised people are fatigued, frustrated,” he said.
Mr Patton said police would continue to enforce CHO directives today.
“We’ll stay the distance, it is as simple as that,” he said.
“We won’t tolerate the city being held to ransom.
“Does it place pressure on us? Indeed it does. Be in no doubt, we are very committed. We will continue to enforce (Covid directives).”
MOB SLAMMED FOR URINATING ON SHRINE
Shrine of Remembrance chief executive Dean Lee slammed the “appalling” behaviour of protesters who allegedly urinated at the memorial site during Wednesday’s standoff with police.
Mr Lee said the smell of urine covered the Shrine amid rubbish and debris that had been strewn across the ground as he approached the mound on Wednesday.
“In two places, amongst the colonnade and the very summit of the North stairs, there was urine,” Mr Lee said.
“People urinating on the shrine monument was just the most appalling thing to contemplate.
“I knew it was urine because of the smell as I stood there, immediately.
“There was widespread broken glass, beer cans and bottles and all sorts of debris and rubbish left behind.
While protesters did not permanently damage the Shrine, Mr Lee said using the memorial as a site for civil unrest “completely misrepresented” its purpose.
“It is a principal place of reflection and contemplation, on the sacrifices made to protect our nation,” Mr Lee said.
“They were seeking to centre that identity to pursue nationalist right wing propaganda or point of views.”
Mr Lee said the memorial had since returned to peace after helpful Melburnians helped clean up the site overnight.
It was fantastic. And I got multiple emails and text messages from people offering to come clean this place.
It is understood Victoria Police are investigating the alleged desecration.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the protest at the Shrine was “disgraceful”.
“I think the RSL President put it best, this is a sacred place, not a place of protest,” the Prime Minister said.
“It was disrespectful and it dishonoured those Australians who had made the ultimate sacrifice. And I would hope any and all who were engaged in that disgraceful behaviour would be ashamed.”
East Timor veteran Tom Potter, said the aftermath was “disgusting”.
“By the time we got there, there were hundreds of cigarette butts, lots of smashed bottles, glass all around the steps and up on the platforms of the shrine,” he said.
“Stay off the shrine, there’s plenty of places to demonstrate … but the shrine is for our forefathers who fought for our freedoms, it’s not for protesting.
“I’m still pretty upset about the whole thing.”
But the Hawthorn RSL member who works in construction, said he was “filled with pride” when members of the public joined him and other veterans to clean up the memorial.
“There’s still people that show that the shrine means something to them,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the protests at the Shrine of Remembrance were “deeply offensive”.
“It’s a disgusting thing. It’s a sacred place,” he said.
“It’s just not appropriate to be there. You should be there for silent reflection and honouring of those who gave everything for us, not violent protests.
“For the veteran community, for the serving men and women, for fair-minded people across the state, it’s very jarring, it’s very confronting and it’s deeply offensive to disrespect that sacred place.”
Opposition leader Matthew Guy also slammed the choice to descend on the Shrine.
“For those people to treat the Shrine as they did yesterday, and to try and legitimise their actions by heading to the shrine is a disgrace,” he said.
“There is no excuse for people trying to use the Shrine as a political or any kind of philosophical statement.
“The Shrine is the Shrine. It is there for all of us — for every single Victorian, for every Australian. It’s not there as a protest weapon for anyone.”
Mr Guy added the way that protesters had treated police in previous days was “abhorrent”.
VIDEO OF BLOODIED MAN FUELLING TENSIONS
Police are investigating a graphic video of a man who claims to have cracked his skull during an altercation in Melbourne’s CBD.
The graphic video depicts a Melbourne man lying on a city pavement with a significant amount of blood pouring from his head.
The footage sent Melbourne’s conspiracy theorist community into meltdown following rumours the incident involved police.
The Herald Sun is not suggesting police were involved in the incident, only that the rumour is being used to fuel tensions between anti-lockdown protesters and the force.
The Herald Sun has spoken to the man who says the incident happened on Tuesday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm but he doesn’t remember it as he was drunk.
“I was drunk and copped a cracked skull,” the man said.
“I don’t remember the incident. I do not know who hit me.”
He said he was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital after the incident, where he says doctors diagnosed him with a cracked skull, six stitches in his hairline and two in his leg.
“My skull is cracked,” the man says in the video.
Victoria Police were contacted for comment.
PROBE INTO HORROR ARREST
Confronting footage of a heavy-handed police arrest at Flinders St station will be investigated by Victoria Police’s professional standards command.
Video of a man being hurled to the ground by police officers at the busy city train station has surfaced on social media.
The footage, believed to have been taken on Wednesday, shows a man talking to three police officers, before a fourth officer grabs him from behind and throws him to the concrete.
The man’s head hits the ground before he is handcuffed by police.
It is not known what prompted the arrest.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the incident was being investigated.
“It does look confronting,” Mr Patton said on 3AW.
“For whatever reason, the officer throws him to the ground, we’ll investigate that.
“I don’t know what the full circumstances are — there is always context — we’ll investigate it with an open mind, have they acted appropriately.
“We won’t jump to any conclusions, there is always context.
“We are absolutely investigating. That video is being reviewed to determine whether or not there is an appropriate response.
“I would think in this circumstance that would be referred to Professional Standards Command.”
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said they were aware of a video circulating on social media depicting an arrest at Flinders Street station.
“The exact circumstances around the incident are yet to be determined and are under investigation by both Transit Safety Division and Professional Standards Command,” spokeswoman Melissa Seach said.
“Anyone who witnessed the incident, including the person who took the footage and the person depicted in the vision, are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”
HOW WEDNESDAY’S CHAOS UNFOLDED
Up to 400 protesters brought Melbourne’s CBD to a standstill for a third consecutive day as they rallied against lockdowns, mandatory vaccination and the shutdown of the construction industry.
Rioters desecrated the Shrine of Remembrance, pelting police with golf balls, tap handles and batteries.
The crowd, mostly men, defied desperate pleas from authorities to stay at home and marched through major city streets before descending upon the state’s most sacred landmark.
The mob chanted “Lest we forget” and “sacred ground” while some drank beer and smoked cigarettes, in scenes that have horrified the RSL and veterans groups.
The heavily armed riot squad eventually unleashed on protesters about 4.45pm, firing nonlethal projectiles and forcing them to scamper off the steps and into oncoming traffic on St Kilda Rd.
Police confirmed that 215 people were arrested, most of whom were hit with $5452 fines for breaching Covid-19 restrictions.
Others were charged for letting off flares and throwing objects including golf balls, tap handles and batteries at police.
Two officers suffered head injuries from projectiles and another member is in hospital with chest pain.
On Wednesday night, Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther described the protest as “disappointing”.
He said many construction workers, who protested earlier this week in the wake of mandatory vaccination rules and the industry’s two-week shutdown, had listened to orders to stay at home.
“There weren’t as many tradies, from what we could see, and we take that as a real positive,” he said.
“The group seem much more mixed in their motivation, which we are yet to establish. There are other small breakaway groups that see benefit in hijacking these things. We’ve seen that before.
“In terms of giving them a brand, it is difficult to say until we can look at our intelligence.”
RSL FURY AS POLICE FINALLY GO HARD
Despite police vowing early on Wednesday that there would be no “cat-and-mouse games”, the protest again stretched over seven hours.
But Mr Guenther said he considered the day to be “very successful” and “effective” in protecting public safety.
“In terms of our deployment, it was dynamic, it was agile and it was aimed very much at early disruption, group fragmentation, and just keeping that large group from gathering all day,” he said.
“We used various deployments to limit the damage to city buildings and effectively reduced the likelihood of general threats to public safety.”
Mr Guenther said while it was “unpleasant” that the protest culminated at the Shrine of Remembrance, it was a “very effective” location to end the unrest.
Beer cans and rubbish littered the front steps of the Shrine, after being used as projectiles against police when officers cleared the crowd.
In the chaos as police cleared the area, the rabble spilt out on to nearby Park St in South Melbourne, where a tram was vandalised and a car crashed into another tram.
Shrine of Remembrance chief executive Dean Lee said he was “speechless” and “appalled” by the protesters’ behaviour.
“I cannot comprehend the selfishness of people who have come to this sacred place and do this,” he said.
“It’s outrageous, reprehensible and it’s the most disgusting behaviour I could ever imagine here at the Shrine.”
Protester Brian, a plumber from Glen Waverley, said he attended in support of construction workers unable to work for two weeks.
“I can’t believe we are shut down for two weeks. It is just not right,” he said.
“I came out here to stand up to this government. We have had enough.”
Throughout the day the crowd chanted “every day” – a promise to continue protesting throughout the two-week shutdown.
A shirtless man scaled a tram stop on Swanston St outside the Arts Centre, yelling profanities while smoking a cigarette.
Another man used spray paint to vandalise a Metro Tunnel sign.
The crowd sung the national anthem and other boisterous chants.
— Contributing reporters: Olivia Jenkins, Mitch Clarke, Tess Ikonomou
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