Pandemic hangover lingers for anti-vaxxers

Most Victorians are desperate to put the hardest years of the pandemic behind them, but for a pack of anti-vaxxers the battle still looms.

With Covid lockdowns ended and vaccine mandates beginning to lift, Victorians could be forgiven for thinking the pandemic is over.

But for many from the anti-lockdown and vaccine conspiracy crowd, better known as the “Freedom” movement, the pandemic hangover remains.

Tens of thousands of Victorians took to the streets to protest against lockdowns and vaccine mandates, resulting in hundreds of arrests and fines.

More than 8200 fines were issued for Covid breaches last year alone, the majority of which remain unpaid.

Dozens of others have faced prosecution for charges such as incitement, assault and ignoring the chief health officer’s directions, with many matters still before the courts.

The Herald Sun has covered many who were stung for breaching Covid rules including several key players from the “Freedom” movement.

Harrison McLean

Harrison McLean is a ringleader of Melbourne’s anti-lockdown “Freedom” movement and was charged with incitement for his alleged involvement in organising a violent protest last year.

More than 230 protesters were arrested and six police officers required hospital treatment after hundreds of anti-lockdown demonstrators marched through Richmond on September 18 last year.

Footage showed protesters throwing projectiles and hurling abuse at authorities before they broke through a police barricade.

Harrison McLean was charged with incitement for his alleged involvement in organising a violent anti-lockdown protest. Picture: Facebook

Violent scuffles between police and protesters broke out, with one female officer knocked to the ground and trampled.

Mr McLean, who was aged 25 at the time, allegedly encouraged others to attend the protest which was in breach of the chief health officer’s stay-at-home orders.

Using encrypted messaging app Telegram, Mr McLean told supporters he’d been charged with incitement after investigators arrested him at his Bayswater home days after the violent clash.

He launched a legal defence fund which raised more than $10,000.

The Monash University computer science graduate describes himself as an “entrepreneur and innovator” who wants to preserve “human freedom”.

He helped launched the World Wide Rally for Freedom in Melbourne and addressed crowds of protesters at various anti-lockdown demonstrations.

Mr McLean is out on bail and will return to court on August 1.

Solihin Millin

Prominent anti-lockdown leader, Solihin Millin, 78, is contesting incitement charges for his alleged involvement in organising a rally in 2020, arguing the stay-at-home-orders in place at the time were based on invalid health advice.

Solihin Millin is the founder of anti-vax group Make Australia Healthy Again.

Police allege Mr Millin, who is the founder of anti-vax group “Make Australia Healthy Again”, encouraged protesters to gather at the Shrine of Remembrance in September 2020 for a “Freedom rally”.

At Melbourne Magistrates’ Court earlier this year, Mr Millin’s lawyer, Suabe Nayel, questioned whether Covid posed a “serious risk” to public health.

In documents tendered to the court, Mr Nayel argued Covid was akin to a mild flu, comorbidities artificially inflated deaths and case numbers that triggered lockdowns were likely asymptomatic false positives.

He argued the health advice on which the stay-at-home-orders were made was invalid, which in turn, called into question the legality of allegations against his client.

“The directions must be lawfully made, they must be valid before the accused can answer them before the court,” he said.

Mr Millin, who is a retired pensioner, posted online that Covid was “not a scientifically defined disease”.

He previously sought to have the matter heard in the High Court, arguing he had a “constitutional” defence but his application was rejected.

Mr Millin will return to court on July 15.

Monica Smit

Notorious anti-vax leader Monica Smit was charged with incitement for allegedly encouraging people to break lockdown restrictions and take part in protests last year.

Ms Smit, who founded Reignite Democracy Australia, is accused of inciting people on social media to participate in demonstrations including an event on August 21 that saw nine police officers injured.

Monica Smit protests outside former Health Minister Greg Hunt’s electoral office in Somerville. Picture: Wayne Taylor

She was also charged with breaching the chief health officer’s directions.

Despite being granted bail, Ms Smit refused to agree to court-imposed conditions including the removal of content from her website.

She spent 22 days in jail while she waited for her appeal against the bail conditions to be heard at the Supreme Court.

On Monday, Ms Smit was fined $1800 without conviction at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for breaching the chief health officer’s directions.

She will appear at the County Court on July 21 to face the more serious incitement charges.

Dennis Basic

Ex-Hells Angels bikie Dennis Basic was jailed earlier this month after he pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers and animal cruelty at anti-lockdown protests.

The 42-year-old bashed a police horse in the face with a flagpole and threw a traffic bollard at a mounted officer nearly causing her to fall off during two “Freedom” rallies in Melbourne’s CBD.

County Court Judge Douglas Trapnell described Basic’s conduct as “dangerous, unprovoked and completely lawless”.

In October 2020, Basic took part in an anti-lockdown rally at the Shrine of Remembrance attended by up to 2000 protesters.

Ex-bikie Dennis Basic was jailed over police assault and animal cruelty charges.

The crowd made their way towards the city via St Kilda Rd but were met by a barricade of police on Princes Bridge.

Body-worn footage showed Basic wearing a black balaclava, a ‘Free Palestine’ T-shirt and holding a flag with the word ‘Resist’ when he got into a scuffle with a cop.

Basic was repelled backwards but continued yelling obscenities before another protester picked up the officer’s cap and threw it into the air.

Minutes later, Basic whacked a flagpole onto the face of a police horse before fleeing into the crowd.

Police arrested Basic at his Narre Warren home after recognising his tattoos and a distinctive scar on his stomach and charged him with assaulting an emergency worker and animal cruelty.

He was granted bail but the following year, Basic attended another rally in the CBD where he threw the traffic bollard at Senior Constable Brown.

Judge Trapnell sentenced Basic to 26 months and 14 days’ jail with a non-parole period of 20 months.

Eve Black

Covid conspiracy theorist Eve Black made headlines around the country when a video she took of herself crossing a coronavirus checkpoint in regional Victoria went viral.

Ms Black, whose real name is Eugenia Limberiou, uploaded mobile footage of her driving through a police Covid checkpoint in Bunyip during Melbourne’s second wave lockdown.

Coronavirus sceptic Eve Black was fined $1652 for failing to provide a valid reason to travel.

In the video from July 2020, the former stripper refused to open her window and repeatedly asked a police officer: “Have I committed a crime?”

Ms Black celebrated as officers let her through but a week later she had her car window smashed and was arrested after refusing to provide police her licence for a second time.

Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville said Ms Black’s conduct was “incredibly selfish”.

Ms Black eventually pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to produce a licence but she was spared conviction.

She was also fined $1652 for failing to have a valid reason to travel when stage three restrictions were in place at the time.