Anti-vaxxer Monica Smit livestreams ‘arrest’

A reality TV wannabe who has emerged as Victoria’s most high profile anti-lockdown campaigner has livestreamed her own “arrest”.

A reality TV wannabe who has emerged as Victoria’s most high profile anti-lockdown campaigner has livestreamed what she claims was her own “arrest”.

Anti-vaxxer Monica Smit now runs the Reignite Democracy Australia (RDA) movement.

She first came to prominence in October as the main promoter of a bus that drove around Melbourne calling for Premier Daniel Andrews to be sacked.

But four years ago, she auditioned to be a contestant on Survivor after a career in sales.

On Tuesday, Smit posted a video of her sitting in her car after police pulled her over near the Springvale Police Station.

“I’ve just been pulled over by the cops, it’s probably because I’m outside my 5km”, she said. “But we will see what happens. Just thought I would put the livestream on just in case.”

An officer is then heard telling her, “We’re just from the Springvale Police Station. At the moment, we need to have a chat with you about a matter of incitement. So I need to place you under arrest.”

Victoria Police declined to comment on whether Smit had been arrested and whether Smit was charged or any further action was taken.

Monica Smit’s group is opposed to Covid-19 vaccines. Picture: Mark Wilson

She goes on to ask the police if they had been “following her” after they state her name without her providing it to officers.

“What? Have you guys been following me,” she said.

The self-styled journalist has previously used her blog to secure a work permit to move around the state during previous lockdowns.

In her application video for Survivor, she described herself as someone who had principally worked in sales and said she didn’t shy away from attention.

Monica Smit outside Greg Hunt’s electoral office in Somerville. Picture: Wayne Taylor/NCA NewsWire

The content on the activist page she is involved in includes praising a “mother of seven” who wants to keep her nail salon open despite the lockdown and “covert mum’s groups” that want to remove barriers around public playgrounds.

“In a co-ordinated campaign, parents and ratepayers will undo the playground barricade tape, cable ties and other restrictive devices on playgrounds across Victoria,” the campaign material states.

“Individuals have already commenced action, but in a first-ever, co-ordinated statewide campaign, concerned individuals will help preserve the mental health of children by opening up the playgrounds across Victoria.”

Monica Smit was briefly a contestant on Survivor.

In June, Smit told her online followers she was concerned she may be arrested for “incitement”.

“I just want you to know that we are working tirelessly, trying to find ways for us to get this country in a better position than it is right now,” she said.

“It’s really difficult to organise events because of the incitement situation. If I get charged with incitement then it will silence me, firstly, because the bail conditions will mean that I can’t speak out online.

“And incitement is a serious thing. It carries jail time, potentially, or hefty fines and things like that. So, if you’re wondering why I’m not saying, ‘just get out on the streets and screw the government’, it’s because you’ve got to be careful of incitement charges. I am willing to take many risks but calculated ones.”

A Reignite Democracy Australia rally in West Geelong. Picture: Mark Wilson

Later in the video, Smit – whose group is against coronavirus tests, vaccines, masks, QR codes and social distancing – gave advice to followers about how they could avoid using QR codes when shopping at the supermarket.

“If they are there literally signing you in, it’s really hard to get away from it so I am going to be asking for an alternative method and I’m going to have my phone in the car so I can’t use my phone. We’re still looking for loopholes, it’s harder than we thought.”

The group has links with ex-Liberal MP for Hughes, Craig Kelly, who is also a regular on Smit’s channel.