Man arrested, police chase alleged thugs from lockdown rally
A man has been arrested and ten accused thugs exposed after police were allegedly assaulted at a violent anti-lockdown protest in Richmond.
Police & Courts
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Ten accused thugs wanted over alleged police assaults and riotous behaviour at the violent anti-lockdown protest in Richmond have been exposed.
It comes as police arrest a man over the alleged assault of an officer at the September 18 rally.
The 21-year-old Brunswick West man was taken into custody on Thursday and charged with offences including assault police, recklessly cause injury and hinder police.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on April 14, 2022.
Police are hunting 10 men over alleged violence, including police assaults, affray and criminal damage, at the out-of-control protest.
Photos of the protests reveal men armed with weapons and wearing protective gear, including goggles and helmets.
One can be seen punching an officer as he screams inches from the policeman’s face.
Another was wearing a “Make Australia Great Again” cap.
Two of the men are wanted over alleged incitement, affray and assaulting police on Barkers Road, Kew.
A further seven are wanted for questioning over alleged affray and assaulting police at the same location.
A man dressed all in black is wanted for allegedly damaging a police car and affray.
About 700 people took part in the worldwide “freedom” rally which shut down the CBD and sparked chaos in Richmond, Burnley and Kew.
Rocks, bottles and traffic cones were hurled at frontline police while others were trampled by a stampeding mob.
Ten officers were treated for injuries including a broken nose, broken elbow, broken finger and torn muscles.
Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the operation to shut down the protest was the biggest the force had undertaken in decades.
Two thousand police were deployed to action, with the public transport system shut down and CBD blockaded in an unprecedented move to stop the rally.
But organisers went ahead with the protest, moving it to Richmond, where demonstrators came prepared to fight.
Protesters were kept at bay for a time with batons and pepper spray but eventually broke loose and charged at police.
Officers were seen wrestling protesters to the ground while others tried to escape arrest by scaling the Barkers Rd gorge.
Commander Mark Galliott said: “What we saw was a group of protesters that came together not to protest freedoms but simply to take on police. We saw angry, aggressive young males there to fight the police.”
Anyone with information about the men is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on crimestoppersvic.com.au 1800 333 000.
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