Merci! Cafe’s baguettes fuelled cops on frontline of violent Land Forces protests
The amount spent on food and drink for police on night shift at the frontline of Melbourne’s ugly Land Forces weapons expo protests has been revealed. So too has the cafe that supplied it.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
More than $400,000 was spent on baguettes and juice to fuel frontline cops as they policed the chaotic Land Forces weapons expo protests.
Government documents have revealed Victoria Police spent $414,024 on food and drinks for officers on the frontline of the violent anti-war rally outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre last month.
The ugly scenes left 27 officers injured and led to 89 demonstrators being charged or fined, while taxpayers picked up the $30m bill for policing.
The $414,024, spent at Docklands cafe Degani, is understood to have covered the cost of breakfasts, lunches and dinners, including baguettes and juice for officers on night shifts.
Police horses were attacked and mounted officers were pelted with faeces as hundreds of activists descended on the weapons expo, setting fire to a public waste bin in the middle of Clarendon St.
Police responded by firing rubber bullets and rounds of tear gas at demonstrators.
A Victoria Police spokesman said the meal packs powered the “24/7” police response which lasted for a total of ten days and required thousands of police shifts.
“Victoria Police’s presence at the Land Forces International Land Defence Expo extended beyond the three-day event, with significant resources required in the days pre and post event to maintain the security of the site,” he said.
“Victoria Police used an approved contractor to provide meal packs for each police officer rostered over the course of these ten days.”
He said buying meals at Degani was the “most financially sustainable decision”.
“Approving individual meal allowances for each officer would have demanded a significantly bigger budget,” he said.
Under the Enterprise Agreement, a police member is entitled to claim breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Opposition police spokesman Brad Battin said the state government’s refusal to restrict protests was draining the public purse.
“Due to inaction by the Allan Labor government to prevent protests, Victorians have had to fork out hundreds of thousands of dollars for lunches for police,” he said.
“This money could have paid for more recruits to keep the crime rate down.”
It comes as a police taskforce investigating the violent Land Forces protest continue to hunt down another eight protesters.
Four people have been charged so far by the Bastion Taskforce, with all facing animal abuse charges over their treatment of police horses.
In recent weeks, the Allan government has been forced to defend its refusal to implement protest permits, dismissing growing pressure – including from Lord Mayoral hopefuls – to introduce a NSW-style scheme.
The state government refused to comment on the food bill, saying it was a matter for Victoria Police.
Footage emerges of wild Waverley Gardens alleged bottle stabbings
Brave witnesses performed a citizen’s arrest on a man who allegedly slashed two shoppers with a broken glass bottle at Waverley Gardens shopping centre. See the video.
Cop’s alleged road rage attack on ‘lane filtering’ motorcyclist
A motorbike rider claims he was the victim of a road rage attack by an off-duty cop in Melbourne, that involved the officer “screaming profanities”, tailgating and trying to force him off the road.