Police use pepper spray on protesters in heated clash

Police have used pepper spray in a fiery clash with protesters outside an immigration detention centre in Melbourne.

Police clashed with protesters in a fiery confrontation outside an immigration detention centre in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Officers used capsicum spray on the group who were attempting to block a busload of people being transferred from the facility.

Protesters believed the group was being moved from the Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation (MITA) in Broadmeadows to Christmas Island.

Refugee advocates say facilities on Christmas Island are “woefully inadequate and harmful”.

Protesters attempt to blockade a bus with refugees leaving the Broadmeadows detention centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Protesters believed those on-board were being moved to Christmas Island. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

A group of roughly 30 protesters succeeded in blocking the bus for a short time before police moved them out of the way, one witness said.

An altercation ensued in which several of the protesters were capsicum sprayed.

It is believed the people on the bus were handcuffed.

Police remained at the centre into Tuesday evening to ensure no further actions were taken by those outside.

“There will be a highly visible police presence in the area to prevent breaches of the peace and to ensure community safety,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

Several of the protesters required their eyes to be flushed with water. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Protesters squared off with police after being physically moved along, one witness said. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

The Morrison government reopened the Christmas Island detention centre in August 2020.

“The timing and lack of transparency around the attempted forced removal of people, including refugees, from MITA cannot be ignored,” Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) director of advocacy and campaigns Jana Favero said.

“This is a very active move from a government in caretaker mode and is cruelty for cruelty’s sake.”

There are around 212 people held on Christmas Island, around 90 of whom have had protection, refugee or humanitarian visas cancelled by the Minister of Home Affairs, according to the ASRC.

One of the reasons the minister can cancel a humanitarian visa is if the bearer commits a crime in Australia.

Detainees on the bus appeared to be handcuffed. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

A 2021 report from the Australian Human Rights Commission stated that Christmas Island was unsuitable for ongoing immigration detention and recommended detention facilities there be closed down.

ASRC principal solicitor and Human Rights Law Program manager Hannah Dickinson said detainees were routinely denied basic human rights.

“Experts have called for its urgent closure. Instead, the Morrison government is transferring people there en masse in a secretive, military-style operation with no notice or right of reply,” she said.

“This appalling practice speaks volumes of the worsening crisis in immigration detention.”