Pro-Palestine protester chains herself to car in Docklands, blocking Melbourne traffic
A pro-Palestine activist has attached herself to a car on the West Gate Freeway, blocking traffic to protest against the upcoming Land Forces military expo.
Victoria
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A pro-Palestine activist has chained herself to a car near a Melbourne freeway in protest against the upcoming Land Forces expo.
The woman attached herself to a vehicle called “the sleeping Lizard” which was parked on the Montague St exit ramp of the West Gate Freeway on Saturday afternoon.
No one else was in the car, which was blocking traffic, as the woman live-streamed the incident to Instagram.
The car appeared to have the words “Earth” and “Warfare” written on the rear window.
Police filmed the protester, who had stuck her left arm into a box that was attached to the boot of the car.
Seven officers were forced to stand on the freeway exit ramp as the situation unfolded.
“There is a weapons expo in our city,” the protester could be heard screaming.
The woman was given hearing protection and a face shield as the metal box was cut off with an angle grinder.
She was freed and placed in handcuffs before being marched to a division van just after 3.20pm.
Another woman was also arrested and marched away.
She held her handcuffed wrists in a the air before she too was put into a police van.
The protester is a 27-year-old woman from Kensington.
In a statement, police said: “A woman, it appears, has affixed herself to a vehicle which police believe is associated with a protest group.
“Another woman, aged in her 20s, was arrested at the scene in relation to aiding and abetting the woman protesting.
“She is currently in custody and will be interviewed in relation to the incident.”
After the incident, a 27 year old Kensington woman and a 24-year-old woman from South Australia were charged with offences including public nuisance and obstructing police, and have been bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in November.
The lizard-like car was towed from the scene just before 4pm.
She was accompanied by other activists who chanted controversial pro-Palestine slogans including “from the river to the sea” and “no pride in genocide”.
It comes as crowds of activists are expected to flock to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from Sunday to protest the upcoming 2024 Land Forces International Land Defence expedition.
Up to 25,000 people are tipped to attend a mass rally later in the week to protest the government’s purchasing of weapons.
Police fear the protest could be as large as the World Economic Forum held in Melbourne in 2000.
That descended into complete chaos and more than 100 people were arrested.
Police will this week bring in more than 1200 officers from across the state to prepare and patrol what could be an ugly and physical demonstration.
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