Flares, chanting, chaos as police arrest protesters
A raft of charges have been laid in the wake of the “shameful” anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne’s CBD which left two police officers injured.
Police & Courts
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A raft of charges have been laid against anti-lockdown protesters, including two accused of assaulting emergency workers.
One woman — a 32-year-old from Bentleigh — was locked up after being charged with resisting police and assaulting an emergency worker at the illegal rally in Melbourne’s CBD on Saturday.
She was also slapped with a hefty fine for being more than 5km from her home.
The woman was remanded to face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
A 31 year-old Balwyn North man was also charged with assaulting an emergency worker and fined for leaving his 5km bubble.
He was bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on December 16.
Police charged a 23-year-old Rosebud man with possessing a drug of dependence at the rally which attracted 5000-odd protesters.
He was also issued a fine for being 5km from home.
A 20-year-old Pakenham man and 26-year-old Malvern East man were arrested over outstanding warrants and bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on December 16 and January 24, respectively.
Both men were also fined for being more than 5km from home.
A 38-year-old Fitzroy North man was also charged with refusing to state his name and address and fined for being 5km from home.
He was summoned to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court at a later date.
A total of 67 fines have been issued to people who breached the chief health officer directions at the rally.
Police are continuing to review CCTV and body cam footage to ensure attendees are held to account for their actions.
“Victoria Police is now currently reviewing all of the evidence captured to identify as many people as possible so that appropriate action can be taken,” a spokeswoman said.
It comes as Victorians were urged to dob in thousands of Covid protesters in the wake of the “shameful” anti-lockdown rally.
Police, and state and federal leaders slammed the “self-indulgent and selfish” behaviour of 5000-odd people who stormed Melbourne’s CBD to protest the country’s latest lockdowns.
Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said organisers, many of whom police had warned not to attend, could face criminal charges of incitement, and many attendees could expect knocks on the door and fines.
He encouraged Victorians who were outraged by the behaviour of protesters to call Crime Stoppers to report the identities of those in the crowd.
“If you know who those people are, let us know and we will take action,” he said.
Investigators on Sunday began the mammoth task of reviewing hours of CCTV, body-worn police cameras and video footage from the public to track down those at the “freedom” rally.
Seven organisers were identified as having attended, despite being warned by police not to promote or participate in the illegal event.
Mr Cornelius said: “We know who you are, we’re going to come knocking and you will be dealt with.
“Your faces are on the front page of our major newspapers (and) in social media. Your faces are being published wide and far.”
Two officers were injured at the rally, including a member of the mounted branch when an object, possibly a bollard, struck her on the back.
Six people were arrested on Saturday, with four charged and bailed to return to court at a later date.
Two more are expected to be charged on summons.
A further 72 infringement notices were issued or will be issued to those caught breaching the chief health officer’s directions, including for travelling more than 5km or failing to wear masks.
But the number of fines dished out at the Victorian rally paled in comparison with the NSW protest, where more than 500 infringement notices were issued.
Former professional boxer Anthony Mundine and Warringah’s Liberal Democrat candidate John Ruddick attended the Sydney protest.
Pressed on whether Victoria Police should have taken a tougher stance like their NSW counterparts, Mr Cornelius hit back at “armchair experts”. He said the critics were “on another planet”, adding it would have been impractical.
“Our primary focus was … not to contain people and condense them … it was to disperse (them),” he said.
Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said it was not yet clear if the protest would become a super spreader event, but it was “a curve ball we didn’t need”.
“We may have to sit back and see what results come through in the coming days,” Mr Weimar said. “A small minority having a self-indulgent tantrum is just really frustrating at this very critical point in time.”
Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the protest as dangerous and said those who attended “should be ashamed”.
“It’s illegal, it’s unsafe, it’s selfish and it puts at risk the hard work that millions of other Victorians are doing,” Mr Andrews said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison also had a strong message: “In a city under lockdown, to engage in that was reckless and selfish.”
@theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/nhQcXHVplu
— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) July 24, 2021
The protest has turned into a dance party, people dancing to World Hold On by Bob Sinclar and then repeatedly chanting “freedom†@theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/isCzQk8Bx9
— Laura Placella (@lauraplacella) July 24, 2021
Demonstrators dancing in the middle of Bourke Street Mall @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/dY0y1Ty0Pm
— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) July 24, 2021
Protesters clashing with police at the anti-lockdown rally on the corner of Flinders St and Swanston St @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/jAZEaMtw4A
— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) July 24, 2021
TREASURER SLAMS PROTESTERS
Josh Frydenberg has blasted the anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne and Sydney as “stupidity” saying attendees have endangered the lives of fellow Aussies.
The federal Treasurer said the images from the rallies on Saturday were “shocking” and that everyone was rightly concerned.
“Those protesters should be condemned for not just breaking the health orders and therefore breaking the law; but for putting in danger their fellow Australians,” Mr Frydenberg told Sky News.
“Those protests have no place in the middle of this crisis, the middle of this pandemic.”
— Jade Gailberger
Police surround protesters inside Flinders St Station, where they pinned at least one man to the ground and engaged in a standoff with the others @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/QNkvipXF0l
— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) July 24, 2021
PROTESTERS COULD EXTEND VICTORIA’S LOCKDOWN: POLICE
Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius slammed the “selfish” protesters and said their decision to march through the city could see the lockdown extended.
“It beggars belief that the protest today could, if mass spreading occurs, result in an extension of the very thing they are protesting for — an end to the current lockdown and a reopening of business, which is something we are all working so hard to achieve.”
He said police would be using footage to identify and take action against as many protesters as possible.
“Victoria Police will now review all evidence captured at today’s protest to identify as many protesters as possible so that appropriate action can be taken against them.
“We will not stand by while selfish people deliberately choose to put every Victorian at further risk of the spread of the highly contagious and dangerous Delta variant.”
The majority of fines were for protesters caught more than 5km from their home, with 67 penalty notes issued or in the process of being issued.
Six were pinned for not wearing a face mask and three were picked up for traffic offences.
One person was allegedly caught breaching bail and one fine was issue for failing to follow police orders and move on.
The fines follow a dramatic day of action with protesters confronting police — who had formed a blockade at the corner of Flinders St and Swanston St.
The yelled at officers, screaming “you work for us” and “shut this government down.”
As the crowd numbers swelled, chants of “freedom” and “sack Dan Andrews” rang out.
But when officers — including mounted police — surrounded the group, protest organisers told the crowd to disperse.
Police began detaining protesters who refused to leave the area, near Flinders Street Station.
Swarms of public order response officers and regular police surrounded the entrance to the station, where several demonstrators have engaged in a type of standoff.
Protesters getting more agitated at police @theheraldsunpic.twitter.com/LrDPThtVVm
— Olivia Jenkins (@byoliviajenkins) July 24, 2021
Earlier, one woman holding a bouquet of yellow daffodils approached police officers on the front line, telling them to “stand with us”.
Another woman with a megaphone urged police to help us save Victoria and its children.
“These injections are poison,” she shouted through her megaphone.
Some demonstrators lit flares as they marched along Swanston St, setting loose an orange haze over the scenes of chaos.
Tensions were running high as mounted police cut through the crowd while officers on foot followed from behind.
Protesters have also converged on Parliament House, where several demonstrators lit flares.
Mounted police and dozens of officers formed a blockade in front of the building, where demonstrators chanted: “Free Victoria”.
As protesters descended on Flinders Street Station earlier on Saturday, police made several arrests before the rally kicked off.
Protesters first gathered at the intersection of Lonsdale and Swanston streets to march down the middle of Swanston St, towards Flinders Street Station.
The convoy grew as more protesters joined the march as it drew closer to the station.
The protest eventually came to a standstill at the intersection of Swanston St and Flinders St, with mounted officers and police cars blocking their way.
SYDNEY PROTESTERS CLASH WITH POLICE
Protesters have also marched through Sydney’s CBD, rallying against the Covid-19 lockdown.
Thousands chanted “freedom” and carried placards suggesting the vaccine was “gene therapy”.
Police Minister David Elliott has just instructed NSW Police “to use all force necessary” as the number of protesters swell to more than 3000.
New South Wales Police have already charged multiple people.
PROTESTERS ‘ON SIDE OF VIRUS’
Mr Foley said those taking part in anti-lockdown protests were “on the side of the virus” and would place at risk the work Victorians had achieved.
“Please be on the side of humanity, not the side of the virus,” he said.
He described his reaction to the protests as “beyond disappointment”.
Premier Daniel Andrews labelled the planned protests as “ridiculous” and urged demonstrators to stay home.
“These protests apparently scheduled for the weekend are nothing short of … ridiculous. Just ridiculous,” Mr Andrews said.
“You want to protest against something? Protest against this virus by staying at home, following the rules and getting out of lockdown. That is the most important thing.”
Chief health officer Brett Sutton also criticised the group, tweeting that their demands would not lead to freedom but thousands of cases, deaths and debilitating long-term complications.
In a Saturday night Twitter thread, he warned Victorians the pandemic is far from over and the so called ‘freedom’ protesters would not bring back the normal pre-Covid life we all want.
“I love freedom. Who doesn’t love freedom?” he tweeted.
“I want freedom from being amongst the over 4 million official (and likely 10 million actual) Covid deaths globally.
“And freedom from being amongst the over 13 million current active cases. Or millions of current Long Covid cases.
“Long Covid doesn’t make you free – debilitating fatigue, ongoing shortness of breath, neurological and psychiatric symptoms for weeks to months.
“We’ve avoided a huge potential burden of illness in Australia but the 30,000 cases we’ve had still represents so much suffering.”
He said Australia’s success – compared to the rest of the world – had made some of the restrictions seem unnecessary.
“When we prevent illness, the argument seems to go that there isn’t really an issue, so why the restrictions?
“New variants could still be catastrophic for much of the world – Australia included.
“They are hugely challenging to manage.”
But he urged Australians to not give up despite the challenges of managing the Delta variant, and pointed to a Lancet study to support his claims. (https://t.co/PmYgsHz8qB?amp=1)
”Letting infections potentially overwhelm our health system will cause illness and death at an awful scale.
“It also impacts civil liberties and it’s hugely damaging to the economy to have widespread transmission.”
“We can all argue the merits or otherwise of various approaches to managing transmission, but let’s not pretend that ‘marching for freedom’ will actually deliver the precious freedom that we all need and desire.”
PROTESTERS KEEP POLICE GUESSING
Keeping police on edge, protest organisers announced the rally location just one hour before the event was scheduled to begin at midday.
Dozens of Victoria Police officers began patrolling busy train stations and street across Melbourne’s CBD from early Saturday morning
Several locations across Melbourne were slated as potential meeting points for demonstrators amid reports of gathering st Flagstaff Gardens and blocking traffic on the Bolte Bridge.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton warned on Friday officers would be out in full force.
“They’re (organisers) not co-operating. We’re extremely concerned about this one,” Mr Patton said.
“We’ll have a very, very large contingent of police there and our public order response teams, and we will deal with it.”
Protesters have clashed with police at a number of events throughout the lockdowns
In February, more than 500 people attended a march to campaign against the nationwide Covid vaccine rollout.
Anti-lockdown protesters and anti-vaxxers swarmed Flinders Street station on May 28 to protest against Victoria’s fourth lockdown.
Public gatherings are banned under current restrictions, with Victorians only permitted to meet one other person for two hours within their 5km radius.
“Freedom rallies” are set to take place across the country, with others planned in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth.
Demonstrators will also descend on northern Queensland in Cairns and Gympie, north of Brisbane.
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