Bizarre scenes dominate anti-war, weapons protest as woman cements herself to car, 11 people arrested

Insane scenes have dominated the final day of anti-war protests in the heart of Melbourne, including one alleged act where a woman cemented herself in a car.

An anti-weapons protester has had her concrete-encased hand detached from a car by police during the final day of anti-war protests in Melbourne.

After 42 protesters were arrested on Wednesday and police were hit with balloons and bottles filled with acid and vomit thrown from the crowd of more than 2000 demonstrators, police cracked down with the use of special search powers on Thursday.

Rally organisers have said they are expecting “significant protest activity” on the final day of the Land Forces weapons expo.

“There will be renewed vigour to protest because it’s the last day,” organiser Caroline Da Silva said.

“It’s our last chance to show these weapons companies that they’re not welcome here.”

An anti-war protester cemented herself to a car in an attempt to disrupt the weapons expo in Melbourne on Friday morning. Picture: ABC

She caused chaos when she cemented her arm to the back of a hatchback. Picture: AFP

Eleven anti-war protesters aged between 24 and 53 were arrested outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday.

Two women allegedly plunged their arms into wet concrete to protest against the Land Forces exhibition in Melbourne.

Police allege they parked their unregistered blue Subaru station wagon across lanes of traffic on Kings Way Bridge about 7.40am.

A police spokesperson said the women got out of the car, opened the boot and plunged their arms into the concrete.

Police were able to release one of the women and took her into custody, but officers had to move the car off the road while the other woman’s arm was encased in concrete.

The woman could be seen yelling at police as she was taken away and is due to face the Magistrates Court later this month. Picture: AFP

The driver, 19, from the NSW town of Bundagen was charged with obstructing a police officer and being a public nuisance.

The two women are due to appear in the Melbourne’s Magistrates Court on November 21.

A police spokesperson said other protesters arrested at the anti-war rally were carrying a slingshot, drugs or refused to be searched as protest numbers dwindled to about 100 people.

In another bizarre scene, one protester dressed as a clown and posed as a reporter – appearing to mock media coverage of the event.

One protester dressed as a clown and mocked media coverage of the event. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Police move on a protester at the Land Forces rally in Melbourne. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Police move on a protester outside the Land Forces event in Melbourne, rallying against the military expo and voicing concerns over Australia's involvement in the global arms trade. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

A protester is stopped by police outside the Land Forces event in Melbourne. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

A much smaller and peaceful crowd showed up on Thursday, and small numbers of protesters have shown up again outside the Land Forces Defence Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday, the final day of the major weapons exhibition.

On Friday morning, a woman managed to concrete her hand to a car and block a CBD street.

Doing a live cross 24 hours after being harassed by protesters, ABC reporter Stephanie Ferrier and her camera operator described the situation.

Wild scenes that broke out on Wednesday did not replicate on Thursday, and Friday’s protest is off to a similarly subdued start. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

“This is the sight of a pretty bizarre protest at the moment,” Ferrier said.

“This lady here has actually managed to affix herself to the back of a hatchback.”

The reporter described seeing the protester put her own hand into a bag of concrete.

“She’s actually been stuck in there,” Ferrier said.

Police moved the car off King St.

Police have special search powers for the duration of the anti-weapons protest. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

“They’ve had to virtually crab-walk her with the car on a jack … they’re trying to angle-grind her hand out of this concrete,” Ferrier said.

The woman had been proclaiming she was against the nearby weapons expo.

Elsewhere, a man at the protest was arrested after allegedly smashing vehicles as they were travelling along a street near the expo.

“That guy wasn’t a part of this,” protesters said during the ABC live cross.

Police horses were shoved and pulled on Wednesday, and horse manure was thrown at officers. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

“He was right in the middle of the intersection, and he was smashing all the cars and trucks and as soon as I reached the intersection he starts approaching me and then he smashed the windscreen,” a truck driver told the ABC.

Police have been granted special powers in response to the large-scale pre-planned protests.

Greens Senator David Shoebridge addresses anti-war protesters outside the Land Forces event in Melbourne, rallying against the military expo and voicing concerns over Australia's involvement in the global arms trade. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

The Land Forces Defence Expo is a major weapons event. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Without a warrant and for a limited time, police can check identification cards at will, tell people to remove face masks, look into bags and conduct random weapons searches, under Victoria’s Control of Weapons Act.

On Wednesday, about 2000 protesters gathered near the huge weapons expo, and scenes turned ugly.

Police were hit with horse manure and acid, and 27 officers were injured. Protesters were hit with pepper spray and rubber bullets, and 42 demonstrators were arrested.

Police struck protesters with batons and sprayed pepper spray as they made a string of arrests on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

On Thursday, barely 200 protesters showed up outside the police barricades surrounding the weapons expo, but police thoroughly searched scores of people.

The searches are continuing on Friday as another small crowd yells “shame” and “murderer” at expo delegates as the weapons industry representatives pass through the police checkpoints.