Investigators launch fresh hunt for Land Forces protesters, six still not yet identifed
A taskforce investigating last month’s wild Land Forces protest has identified all but six people they are seeking allegedly involved in last month’s violent Land Forces protest. See their faces.
Police & Courts
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Police say they have identified all but six of the people being sought in the aftermath of last month’s chaotic Land Forces protest.
Investigators from the Bastion taskforce have made a series of public appeals to find some of the demonstrators since the September 11 protest.
They have found five of those who were the subject of an appeal earlier this week.
Six more have still not been identified.
Land Forces was a military expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Some of those identified have been charged with assaulting police and animal welfare offences after police horses were mistreated.
The alleged offenders are on top of 89 charged or fined on the day of demonstrations against the Land Forces military equipment expo, run on September 11 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Police and guests of the event were allegedly assaulted at the height of the chaos.
Four charged as of earlier this week by Bastion all face animal abuse charges over their treatment of police horses.
A Carlton North man, 28, faces six counts of assaulting police and animal abuse.
It is alleged he splashed a “liquid irritant” over four officers, before attacking a police horse and its rider with the same substance and flinging horse manure at the mounted branch.
Bastion members have charged a 62-year-old Yarraville man with affray, assault of police, intentionally obstructing police, discharging a missile and torment/abuse of an animal.
A Mount Waverley man, 22, is on two counts each of animal abuse, obstructing police and theft.
A 55-year-old Lower Templestowe man was hit with four charges of obstructing police and two of animal abuse.
All were bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 21 November.
A total of 27 police from Victoria and interstate needed medical treatment after working the protest and 12 horses exposed to a range of substances were assessed by vets before being cleared for a return to work.
“It’s alleged there were rocks, projectiles, liquid which smelt strongly of vomit, horse manure, eggs and liquid irritants hurled at police officers, horses and expo attendees,” a Victoria Police statement said.
“Several police horses and riders were allegedly splashed with a liquid irritant including being sprayed under face protectors, going into their mouths and nostrils, and were repeatedly pushed and hit with plastic crates.”
Police said the eight images released on Monday are of people they hope can assist their inquiry into allegations of assault and animal cruelty.
Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
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