Coronavirus Australia: 5G conspiracy theorist arrested in Melbourne

A 5G conspiracy theorist and “sovereign citizen” has filmed himself in a confrontation with police at a 7-Eleven for refusing to wear a face mask.

A 5G conspiracy theorist and “sovereign citizen” has filmed himself in a confrontation with police at a 7-Eleven for refusing to wear a face mask.

Rick Mejia, who posts about topics including “5G genocide” on Facebook, was arrested and fined $1652 after the incident at the service station in Sunshine in Melbourne on Tuesday night.

He claims he and his brother were arrested and “dragged out the front of the petrol station” after trying to buy bread just before the 8pm coronavirus curfew, according to a Facebook post by Joel Jammal, who shared the video and pictures of the infringement notices.

The video shows Mr Mejia approaching the officer, saying he’s “going to record this just for my safety and your safety, just for evidence”.

The officer asks, “Where’s your face mask?”

“I don’t need a face mask, I have a medical exemption – no, I don’t need to provide it to you,” Mr Mejia replies.

“Have you got some ID on you?” the officer asks.

“I don’t have to provide any ID,” he says. “I haven’t committed a crime. I am free to go, actually. Hold on, hold on, I haven’t committed a crime.”

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Police officers at a 7-Eleven, confronting a man for not wearing a mask

The infringement notice the man received

The officers stop him as he tries to walk away. “We’re asking you what is your medical exemption. You do have to provide that to me,” one officer says.

Mr Mejia says, “I told you I’ve got a medical exemption. We have both got asthma. We are free to go.”

Police ask him to show evidence he is asthmatic, but he refuses. They tell him refusing to obey their directions is against the law.

“You have committed a crime,” the officer says. “One is you’re not showing your identification and the second is you’re not wearing a mask.”

Mr Mejia continues to talk but the officers are fed up.

“Stop talking over me. Be quiet. You want to be arrested? Put your phone away, you’re under arrest,” the officer says as the video cuts out.

According to the Facebook post, Mr Mejia says the officers “(threatened) to take both of our phones as their the evidence it was lucky I was able to hold on to my phone so they where not able to steal it off me”.

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Victoria Police declined to comment on specifically on the video.

“We will not be publicly commenting on the specifics of every individual infringement,” a spokeswoman said in a statement.

She instead offered some general comments about the enforcement of mask-wearing.

“As of 11.59pm Sunday, August 2, police will enforce the new chief health officer direction that requires people living in regional Victoria to wear a face covering when leaving home for one of the four approved reasons,” she said.

“As part of daily patrols, police will be able to issue on-the-spot fines of $200 to those not wearing a face covering without a legitimate reason.

This is a critical measure designed to reduce the spread of coronavirus.”

She said police “understand that the vast majority of Victorians are trying to do the right thing” and expect people to follow the CHO’s directions.

“Victoria Police … will not hesitate to issue fines to people who are obviously and blatantly showing a disregard for community safety by failing to wear a mask,” she said.

“For example, if a person has a mask and refuses to wear it when requested then that person can expect to be issued with the fine. Similarly, if a person persists with entering a supermarket when requested not to do so due to the absence of a mask then that person can expect to be issued with a fine.”