Melbourne 'freedom' protest: Chaos erupts on CBD streets, West Gate Freeway over construction sector shutdown
Victoria's top cop has labelled protesters "cowards" for the way they acted on Tuesday, warning "a range of new tactics" will be rolled out tomorrow.
Victoria's top cop has labelled protesters "cowards" for the way they acted on Tuesday, warning "a range of new tactics" will be rolled out tomorrow.
Victoria's Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has warned protesters not to turn up on Wednesday for a third day straight of violent protests.
Speaking to the media after 62 people were arrested on Tuesday, Mr Patton said protesters had acted in a cowardly manner by attacking police in large numbers.
"Crowds like this, they're for cowards. Cowards who seek to hide their identity. To do things that if they were by themselves, they wouldn't have the courage to do," he said.
Mr Patton said police would roll out "new tactics" on Wednesday but would not disclose what those tactics would involve.
It comes after protesters stopped traffic on the West Gate Freeway - the busiest bridge in Melbourne, causing peak hour chaos as they demand an end to mandatory vaccinations.
The protest kicked off at 10am on Elizabeth Street near the headquarters of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) - the scene of yesterday's violent clashes - the crowd has swelled to thousands and has been met by a heavy police presence.
Protesters have marched through the CBD, passing the state parliament and Flinders Street Station before blocking the West Gate Freeway - the busiest urban freeway in Australia. Traffic is at a standstill in both directions as police file onto the freeway to disperse the crowd.
As the situation grew more chaotic around 1pm, footage emerged of protesters pelting police with projectiles, including glass bottles and flares. Some members of the crowd approached with their hands up, chanting: "You serve us."
Riot police who earlier responded by deploying tear gas and firing rubber bullets the crowd were forced to flee as the violent mob surrounded them.
This is seriously out of control and someone is going to get hurt. #GoHome now #Melbourne #protests pic.twitter.com/jgbpIKWMQx
— NÃal Ó Fionnagáin (@NialFinegan) September 21, 2021
BREAKING: Protestors are now throwing glass bottles and other projectiles at police. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/WsSGfOqJnS
— Suzan Delibasic (@suzandelibasic) September 21, 2021
There was a particularly ugly incident at one point as some demonstrators accosted Channel 7 reporter Paul Dowsley.
"We were standing on a seat trying to get an elevated view as the protest group walked past. A few in that crowd had it in for mainstream media," Dowsley recounted on air a short time after the attack.
"A man came from the side, grabbed me around the neck, and others then joined in a scuffle. I'm not sure whether they were maybe trying to protect me, or join in and maybe have a go at me. I'm not sure.
"But the outcome of that was us both, my cameraman colleague here and me, now being covered in what I believe is urine. I believe this has been thrown in my mouth, it's all over me.
"A couple of protesters, I will note, in the minutes after stopped and came back to me, and said, 'I hope you're OK, that is not what we're about, it should not have happened.' They were absolutely appalled by it. As am I."
In a second incident a short time later, Dowsley was forced to cut short a live cross after being struck in the back of the head by a can.
The moment @paul_dowsley is hit (again) this time with a can of drink. pic.twitter.com/jywumGU81O
— Blake Johnson (@BlakeJohnson) September 21, 2021
Police Commissioner Shane Patton addressed the media after 5pm while the protest continued.
He said the "criminal conduct" being carried out by mostly young men would be stopped.
"Currently, this unlawful gathering is still unfolding and we're making arrests at this moment," he said.
More than 40 arrests have been made but Commissioner Patton said more people would be arrested.
"We will stop this protest. We will hold those responsible to account. The message is clear. You cannot come in and break the law."
Premier Daniel Andrews followed with a statement condemning the violence and urging Victorians to get vaccinated.
"There is no excuse for the terrible behaviour we have seen in our city over the last two days," he said.
"To those who think violence is the answer, I ask you to think of your fellow Victorians - doing the right thing for many months, following the advice of our health experts."
The organisers of today's protest, headlined "Victorian Workers Rally For Freedom", had promised the rally would continue until their demands were met.
"Bring your friends and family in support. Wear work gear. Bring food and drinks," they instructed attendees on Telegram.
One post on the app outlined a list of "demands", including the immediate removal of emergency state powers, an immediate end to lockdown, an end to mask and vaccine mandates, the resignation of Premier Daniel Andrews and chief health officer Brett Sutton, a royal commission into the government's pandemic response, charges against police for "assaulting peaceful protesters", a resumption of all construction sites and "mass distribution of ivermectin, vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc".
Tensions were further inflamed by the discovery of a man's body at a worksite in West Melbourne, hours after the Victorian government announced a two-week shutdown of the construction sector.
The Herald Sun reports the man's body was found at a site on Spencer Street at about 7am this morning. It is understood he took his own life.
"Sadly the man, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene," a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
One message circulating among construction workers in the wake of the news read: "Breaks my f***in heart. His blood is on Dan Andrews' hands. May you rest in peace and your mind be at ease brother. Today we protest in your name and in your honour."
The national secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, said the protests had been "hijacked".
"This protest has been called for, led and promoted by far right groups and anti-vax groups, there is a big overlap between the two at the moment unfortunately," she told the BC.
"What we are seeing happening is a march being led around the city and obviously without masks, obviously congregating like they did yesterday in big numbers.
This is an example of these groups hijacking concerns that some people have in the community, spreading lies, misinformation and lies, about the vaccine. All to further their own ends."
In yesterday's violence, CFMEU boss John Setka tried to calm the mob before retreating inside headquarters. He later said he believed the protest had been "hijacked" by "extreme organisations" opposed to Covid restrictions.
Speaking to Channel 9's Today show this morning, Mr Setka doubled down on his description of the protesters as "drunken, fascist, un-Australian morons".
"There were a few anti-vaxxer activists there who are not union members or are from our industry. They're the ones you see at all the protests," he said.
"It just got out of control. Then they were consuming a whole heap of alcohol. Thanks to these morons, 300,000 Victorians are sitting at home for at least the next couple of weeks. It could drag out even longer."
Mr Setka said the government hadn't consulted him about its shutdown of the sector but he didn't think "they had much of an alternative but to do what they've done".
"It's unfortunate, because families rely on a pay packet every week. And the problem with it is, I think it's going to be longer than two weeks," he said.
"They can thank all the drunk morons yesterday. This lays squarely on their shoulders."
Federal Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten, the former opposition leader, went even further in his condemnation of the protesters.
"There is a network of hard-right man-baby Nazis, just people who want to cause trouble. These man-babies, they want to complain about vaccinations," Mr Shorten said earlier in the program.
"They deserve to get the full force of everything that's coming their way."
The Victorian government announced its decision to suspend the construction industry for two weeks late on Monday night, citing the high transmission of Covid on construction sites and concerns about workers failing to comply with restrictions. Health officials estimate building sites are the source of more than 10 per cent of all cases in Victoria.
Only critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, will be exempt from the shutdown. As a result, about 300,000 people will be out of work, and the sector will lose almost half a billion dollars per day.
"Recently, we have seen multiple outbreaks linked to construction. Construction workers are a mobile workforce who may work across multiple sites and travel longer distances to work than other permitted workers. Concerns have also been raised, and remain, about the sector's compliance with public health measures and directions," Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas said.
"Also concerning is the transmission risk and geographic spread of construction cases, which led to a number of important health measures including preventing workers from crossing the regional/metropolitan border. But more action is required to stop the spread.
"The immediate shutdown action is being taken to reduce movement, minimise transmission and allow for the entire industry to appropriately adapt to the chief health officer's directions, including increasing vaccination rates."
Construction projects will be closed in metropolitan Melbourne, Ballarat, Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Mitchell Shire, with a "strictly limited" exemption for workers who are responding to an emergency or performing "urgent and essential work to protect health and safety".
There's also a brief amnesty to allow a limited number of workers to shut down the sites safely.
All construction sites will be required to demonstrate their compliance with the chief health officer's instructions before they can reopen, including the requirement for workers to show evidence to their employer of having had at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.
"Before workers return to site, they must comply with this requirement," said Mr Pallas.
Today Health Minister Martin Foley defended the government's decision.
"We've talked about Covid outbreaks on construction sites, one particular site so far having more than 150 direct cases linked to it," he said.
"We have also reflected on poor levels of compliance with health directions and poor levels of application of CovidSafe principles and practices in multiple workplaces.
"The public health team was left with no choice but to hit the pause button."
Jobs Minister Martin Pakula acknowledged it was a "sad day" for construction workers.
"A lot of people have been doing the right thing. Unfortunately, because of abhorrent behaviour and what we've seen, there is a need for the government to intervene and take strong action," he said.
"What we're seeing is the construction industry effectively amplifying and spreading the virus into communities.
"We can't simply have an industry as one of the focal points, one of the greater areas of activity of the virus, not adhering to the safe requirements for work that we put in place."
The Victorian opposition has called on the government to reverse its "panicked decision" to shut down the construction sector.
"The Liberal Nationals condemn the violent protests, but the actions of a few should not be used as an excuse to shut down an entire industry, putting tens of thousands of people out of work," said industry spokeswoman Bridget Vallence.
And Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, condemned "extreme right-wing activists" for stoking the "reprehensible" violence.
"The ACTU condemns the violent attack on the CFMEU office orchestrated by violent right-wing extremists and anti-vaccination activists," she said.
During the rally, workers were heard chanting in opposition the Covid vaccines. Others referred to the pandemic as a "conspiracy".
Mr Setka copped abuse from the crowd as he tried to calm the situation.
"People are allowed to express their opinions and you've got to take it on the chin sometimes. People get emotional, I understand that," he said afterwards.
"But when you go out of your way to address people and they just talk over you, yelling and screaming, and throw projectiles and injure people and smash property, it's just absolutely unacceptable.
"It wasn't out decision (to mandate vaccinations). We didn't do it. We didn't bring this pandemic in. All we've tried to do is keep everyone working."
Victoria recorded its highest number of infections in the current outbreak on Tuesday, with 603 new locally acquired cases from a worryingly low number of tests.
Libs’ nuclear architect mum on its future
The Liberal Party’s new deputy leader won’t commit to the controversial nuclear energy policy he devised and championed after the election wipe out.
‘No significance’: Cook statue removed
The monument, in a Melbourne park, was described as of “little or no significance”.
Greens’ throuple arrangement revealed
The Greens have reportedly been ruminating over a pathway forward that would see the party execute a political throuple act.