Huge cost of policing Melbourne climate change protests
Climate rebels who caused chaos in Melbourne CBD last week also cost police “hundreds of thousands” in overtime and millions more in other costs, while taking officers away from important work. This is how much the final bill was.
VIC News
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The climate change protests that caused havoc in Melbourne cost police at least $3 million and pulled officers away from crucial road safety and domestic violence work.
North West Metro Region Commander Tim Hansen said a total of 16,000 hours was dedicated to policing the Extinction Rebellion activists.
The overtime bill alone would be “hundreds of thousands of dollars,” police said.
The protests caused week-long commuter chaos throughout Melbourne’s CBD as trams and cars were blocked and in some cases protesters locked themselves together on busy intersections.
Two officers were also injured policing the protests, one of which was severe enough to be hospitalised. However, they were not assaulted and the protest were peaceful.
In total there had been 111 arrests, 45 of which had been obstructing an emergency services worker.
The others were for obstructing a highway.
Mr Hansen said the lengthy operation had taken its toll.
“I think it’s been a long week for everyone, we’re certainly all well and truly over it.”
“I’ve heard it being discussed this week the end justifies the means in relation to climate change — we don’t have that luxury. Our focus not only needs to be on this protest, but on delivering proactive policing programs that focuses on safety of your loved ones on the roads, on behaviour change to better protect children and partners from family violence, or the disruption of those distributing illicit drugs.”
“Whilst we’re reassured there were sufficient resources in suburbs and regional centres of Victoria to answer calls for help, our proactive policing programs have taken a hit over the last week … sustained and unplanned protest activity has seen a dilution of these programs.”
Police had been braced for severe disruption at the weekend as the protesters planned a final “demonstration of solidarity”.
The worst outcomes were avoided after intense negotiations between police and protest leaders since Thursday kept yesterday’s march in Fitzroy and out of the CBD.
Those talks also meant the disruption suffered in Melbourne wasn’t as bad as it could have been. “I can give the public assurance what was planned was significantly more than what eventuated … That impact would have been significantly more.”
He hoped the unplanned “swarming protest activity” — something he was critical of last week — wasn’t a new tactic that would be seen again in Melbourne.
The commander indicated police had been prepared to “heighten our tactics” if protesters hadn’t negotiated, including seizure of assets like boats and other items they were planning on leaving at intersections.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said: “Frankly, we deserve to know how much extra police money has been wasted on babysitting these protesters. And why aren’t they being sent the bill the same way as a lot of conservative speakers are sent bills when there are protests?
Mr Hansen ruled out making the protesters pay because that only applied if there was a “level of commerciality”.
“This is clearly a public community protest in public space. We are resourced and financed to deploy in those circumstances,” he said.
Victoria Police last year handed Canadian alt-right figure Lauren Southern a $68,000 bill to protect her Melbourne event, while right wing British commentator Milo Yiannopoulos was billed $50,000 after violence outside his Melbourne event.
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An Extinction Rebellion spokesman told the Herald Sun the week was a success.
Both bills were not paid, and after seeking legal advice, police dropped their attempts to get the pair to pay.
“We managed to put the climate emergency at the front and centre of public discourse and into people’s lounge rooms.”
“Today was a peaceful creative celebratory protest. I’d say we shifted the narrative for the first time and that it has been a huge success.”