Coronavirus: Pregnant Victorian woman filmed arrest

Victorian police have doubled down on their decision to detain a pregnant anti-lockdown protester, whose arrest sparked global headlines.

A pregnant anti-lockdown protester, who live-streamed her arrest on social media, has broken her silence about the clip that seems to have divided the internet.

Zoe Buhler, 28, was yesterday charged with inciting a protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Ballarat’s CBD.

The video on her Facebook page had already been viewed more than 1.4 million times in the space of four hours by Wednesday night, climbing to 4.6 million views early this morning.

Ms Buhler has since been banned from posting on Facebook as one of her bail conditions but has been doing the rounds on media this morning.

Speaking to reporters outside her home this morning, Ms Buhler claimed she “didn’t realise” the protest wasn’t allowed.

“I was aware that the protest coming up in Melbourne wasn‘t permitted ... but we’re in Stage 3 lockdown,” she said.

“I had a bit of a bimbo moment.”

Zoe Buhler has been charged with incitement. Picture: 9 News

Victoria Police commented on the arrest earlier today with Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius saying he was “satisfied” with how the situation went.

“Arresting a pregnant female, it's never going to look good. The optics of arresting someone who is pregnant is terrible,” Mr Cornelius said.

“We were very keen to understand the circumstances and consider whether or not in all the circumstances that action was appropriate. And I can say to you, based on the briefings that have been provided to me and my colleague, Assistant Commissioner Cindy Millen, we're satisfied in those circumstances the members behaved appropriately and in accordance with our policy.”

Mr Cornelius said the handcuffing of Ms Buhler was standard procedure when officers are executing a search warrant at a home but the handcuffs were removed as soon as police rendered the situation safe.

“I've seen the footage, and you know, in my assessment, the members have conducted themselves entirely reasonably,” Mr Cornelius said.

“They have been polite, they have been professional, when the individual indicated she may be late for an appointment at the hospital, our members actually contacted the hospital and made arrangements for an alternative appointment. Our members did everything they could to both secure their safety and the safety of the people involved.

“The point really I want to make is that, while this deadly virus doesn't discriminate, we won't discriminate. And we can't discriminate in holding people to account.”

“I'd also make this observation – we take offenders and suspects as we find them. ...If we started to say, we can't possibly hold this person to account because of a particular attribute, where do we draw the line? The key piece here is we're focusing on behaviour. In the case, we are alleging this individual engaged in serious criminal behaviour, inciting a public protest at a time when public protest is unlawful. And we have been very clear about that.”

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Comments from Ms Buhler, who this morning claimed she didn’t know she wasn’t allowed to protest, were also slammed by police.

“You have to have been on Mars not to know (you can’t protest). I have to say if someone looked me in the eye and I was out dealing with an individual and they said, ‘I didn't know I couldn't protest.’ I’d have to say, ‘Come on, don't take me for a fool. You have to be on Mars not to know that.’”

Despite the footage of her arrest being slammed on social media, Ms Buhler said all the police involved were actually “quite nice” which “wasn’t on camera”.

“They took the handcuffs off and let me get dressed and they were nice down at the police station, they just have to do their job at the moment and they said they weren’t really happy about having to arrest me or anything but that’s what’s happening at the moment in our state.”

Ms Buhler said she decided to plan a protest in Ballarat to “stand up for human rights”.

“I did kind of want to protest in Melbourne but I obviously knew I wasn’t allowed to do that. I just wanted to feel like I was doing something,” she said.

“I’m a passionate person and I’m sick of the lockdown. I’m sick of hearing about suicides... I personally lost my job.”

Ms Buhler said she “wishes” she could encourage protesting but didn’t want to see people get hurt.

“I’m just emotional...I’m baffled,” she said.

When asked if she would still go to a protest, Ms Buhler said she was done with her activism.

“I’m too scared now... it’s fear mongering.”

Ms Buhler earlier told Today she thought she was being “kidnapped” by the plain-clothes detectives.

“I was scared that I was just being kidnapped by people. They obviously were in uniforms. Yes, I have been charged with incitement and – which like I said, I'm still yet to know exactly what that means.”

Furious social media comments earlier described the footage of her arrest as “absolutely disgusting” and “not OK”.

“What the actual f***!” one person wrote, echoing many others, while another described it as a “national day of shame”.

Ms Buhler was arrested.

The news has made international headlines, with American publications including USA Today, the Washington Examiner and Newsweek and the UK’s The Sun among those picking up the story, while social media users from across the globe have also slammed the handling of the case.

Australian commentators have also weighed in, with former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman describing Victoria Police as the “shame of the nation” while activist social media account Mad F*cking Witches also questioned the police response.

“How can we live in a country where a young pregnant woman gets arrested for allegedly inciting anti-lockdown angst but Neil Mitchell, Alan Jones, Sam Newman and Adam Creighton ... don’t?” the account tweeted.

Detectives descended on Ms Buhler’s Miners Rest home yesterday, armed with a search warrant, after they became aware of a “prohibited gathering” scheduled to take place in the regional Victorian city this Saturday.

Officers raided the 28-year-old’s home and seized her mobile phone and computer equipment, after she greeted them at the door in pink pyjamas.

Upon being told she was going to be arrested, Ms Buhler began to cry and told officers she would “happily” delete her social media posts, with her Facebook page reportedly containing links to a “peaceful, freedom day” protest scheduled for the weekend.

“The government has gone to extreme measures and are using scare tactics through the media to prevent the Melbourne protest,” the event’s description said.

“Here in Ballarat we can be a voice for those in stage four lockdowns.”

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A pregnant mum has been charged with incitement over an anti-lockdown protest organised for Ballarat @theheraldsun #COVID19Vic pic.twitter.com/z9IsaPaSMc

— Aneeka Simonis (@AneekaSimonis) September 2, 2020

“What on earth? Excuse me, what on earth?” the woman is heard asking police while filming them, before asking another male in the house to film the confrontation.

“I’m in my pyjamas. I have an ultrasound in an hour.”

She then told police she had not “broken any laws” by posting about the protest on Facebook, to which the officers responded that she had.

Ms Buhler was charged with incitement and granted bail, and is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on January 25 next year.

“This is unequivocally not okay,” US-based conservative Australian commentator Sydney Watson wrote on Twitter.

Herald Sun columnist Rita Panahi wrote, “Victoria Police going after the big crooks.”

RELATED: Map shows suburbs hardest hit by virus

RELATED: Issue keeping Victoria in lockdown

Post in question. pic.twitter.com/umiOBEakjW

— Sydney Watson (@SydneyLWatson) September 2, 2020

Victoria Police have since issued a stark warning to anyone still considering attending the event, saying protesters can “expect a swift and firm response from police”.

“Those still thinking of attending the protest in Ballarat on Saturday can expect a swift and firm response from police,” a statement said.

“We will have no hesitation in issuing $1652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day, or making arrests if necessary.”

The arrest comes just days after a group of anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne’s north clashed with police, and AFL great Sam Newman called on 250,000 residents to “take back the city”.

After Victoria Police threatened to arrest him, the 74-year-old abruptly backed down, telling Sunrise yesterday morning that his call to arms was simply “hyperbole”.

“I said wouldn’t it be great to have 250,000 people wandering through the city – I don’t encourage people to do that but it was just a sign that this government should cautiously reopen business enterprises in the city before it rusts over,” Newman told the program.

The former Footy Show host tweeted this afternoon he’d also been paid a visit by police, who advised him “against protesting”.