Six police officers hospitalised, more than 200 arrested in Melbourne anti-lockdown protests

Six police officers were hospitalised and more than 200 people were arrested during anti-lockdown protests that brought chaos to Melbourne’s CBD on Saturday.

The Victorian government derided the protests as a “slap in the face”, with police claiming more than 4000 people turned up in contravention of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Thousands of protestors stormed the streets of Melbourne’s CBD and were met with heavy a police presence.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Police claimed that “while there were some peaceful protesters in attendance”, the majority of those who flooded the streets had “violence in mind”.

Organisers had billed the protest as peaceful before it went ahead, urging followers not to use violence.

The protesters moved around the CBD for about two hours on Saturday and were a mix of young and old people, including children and families.

Clashes with police broke out at a couple of points, notably outside state parliament and Flinders Street Station, where police were seen using capsicum spray and non-lethal pellets on the crowd.

“The behaviour seen by police was so hostile and aggressive that they were left with no choice but to use all tactics available to them,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

“For the first time during lockdown protests, police were forced to use a range of non-lethal options including pepper ball rounds and OC foam canisters in an effort to disperse the crowd.”

Seven police officers were injured during the protests, including two with suspected broken noses, one with a broken thumb, and others with concussion.

Police said they arrested 218 people, and three people were in custody for assaulting officers.

They said all those arrested would be fined $5452 for breaching the Chief Health Officer’s directions - totalling more than $1.18 million in fines. Officers also issued an additional 236 fines.

The protests, which have occurred throughout the pandemic, are organised by fringe online groups in encrypted chat groups. Those who attend were a mix of anti-vaxxers and conspiracy theorists, as well as families and business owners who are critical of lockdowns that result in income cuts and children being kept away from school.

The majority of protesters were maskless on Saturday.

The crowd played music, chanted “free Victoria” and “sack Dan Andrews”. In tense scenes, many protesters screamed “you work for us” and hurled abuse at police who blocked streets, thwarting the crowd a number of times as it snaked through the Hoddle Grid stopping traffic and public transport.

In other instances they called on the police to join them, urging them “stand with us, do it for your kids”.

Similar protests were organised in capital cities around the country on Saturday, including in locked-down Sydney where only about 250 people turned up and 47 were arrested.

One Melbourne protester, 30-year-old Chantelle Jurcic, said she joined the march because she had had enough of lockdowns.

Police use capsicum spray on protesters on Saturday.Credit: Justin McManus

“I started a business in February. I then had to get another job because my business turned to sh-t. I’m done with lies, I’m done with the manipulation, I’m done with the fear-mongering.”

Despite the large turnout, there were no clear leaders of the rally and protesters argued among themselves about tactics and directions.

The Victorian government derided the protests as a slap in the face to everyone working hard to beat coronavirus. They thanked the police officers who “put themselves in the line of fire”, and wished those who’d been injured a good recovery.

“Our hardworking police officers have far more important work to be getting on with - it’s outrageous they had to waste so much time and resources dealing with people who don’t think the rules apply to them,” a government spokeswoman said.

One Victorian emergency physician, Stephen Parnis, said any injured protesters who needed treatment in hospital would be adding to an already strained medical system.

Dr Parnis, a former vice president of the AMA, used his Twitter account to remind people that the injuries from the protests would be treated by the same “overworked, stressed” emergency doctors and nurses who were working through yet another COVID-19 outbreak.

“We’ll provide care. We always do,” Dr Parnis said.

“But I’m disgusted with the few who assume we’ll always be able to pick up the pieces, while they do everything in their power to make a bad situation worse. #Covid19Vic Health services are a precious, finite resource. Please protect them.”

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on Saturday morning that 700 officers had been deployed to the rally. Officers were deployed on foot and horseback, including the riot squad.

“No one should be protesting at this time. Every protester who we can identify and who we can apprehend will receive a $5500 fine. It’s just ridiculous to think that people would be so selfish and come and do this,” said Chief Commissioner Patton.

It comes about a month after thousands of men, women and even some children flooded the CBD for a three-hour, mask-free rally that ended in six arrests and 74 infringement notices.

Authorities had warned people against joining the protest after Victoria recorded 61 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, when a statewide lockdown and more restrictions, including the closure of childcare centres, were announced.

Premier Daniel Andrews also took aim at the protesters on Saturday morning.

“Protesting doesn’t work against this virus. In fact, it will contribute to the spread of this virus, and the more cases we have the longer we’ll be locked down,” he said.

• With Roy Ward

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