As it happened: Dozens arrested as demonstrators disrupt Melbourne weapons expo

Thanks for reading The Age’s live blog of the dramatic protests outside the Land Forces weapons expo in the heart of Melbourne. This is where we’ll end today’s coverage.

To conclude, here’s a look back at the day’s major developments:

• Anti-war demonstrators have vowed to continue to protest at a Melbourne military expo after a day of violent clashes in which members of the group pelted police with horse poo, rocks, eggs, beer bottles, tomatoes, canned food and a mild acid.

• Victoria Police defended their use of force, responding with foam bullets, stun grenades, tear gas and pepper spray to quell the at-times chaotic crowd outside Jeff’s Shed.

• Forty-two protesters were arrested and police said 1500 demonstrators attended, well short of what authorities had predicted.

• Chief Commissioner Shane Patton lashed the behaviour of some of the protesters, calling them hypocrites for attending the rally with an intention to cause violence.

• Twenty-seven officers required medical attention, police said, although none were seriously injured.

• Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the actions of violent protesters.

You can read a full wrap of all the news here.

Forty-two protesters were arrested when 1500 demonstrators rallied outside a weapons expo in Melbourne today, police say.

In an updated summary of the day’s action issued at 7pm, Victoria Police provided the following key figures:

• 42 protesters were arrested for various offences, including assaulting police, obstructing police, hindering police, assault, arson and blocking roadways.
• 22 people were charged and bailed.
• A Queensland man, 23, was charged with obstructing and assaulting police, a Geelong West man, 33, was charged with arson and a Brunswick woman, 28, was charged with assaulting police. All three were bailed and will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 21.
• 10 people are expected to be charged on summons at a later date.
• 10 people were issued with infringement notices.
• 27 police officers, from Victoria and interstate, have required medical treatment.

The force, revising its crowd estimate to 1500 people, said it was “appalled at the behaviour of some of the protesters”.

“Whilst we respect the right for individuals to protest lawfully, we will not tolerate the behaviour of those who break the law.”

Melbourne Activist Legal Support has released a statement this afternoon criticising “multiple incidents of excessive force by police” during the Land Forces Expo protests.

The group said its legal observers saw officers spraying and obstructing medics when attempting to treat injured people.

A protester being treated after being pepper sprayed.Credit: Justin McManus

The organisation has called for an urgent, independent investigation into today’s policing operation and asked the government to withdraw previously granted special powers.

Last week, police confirmed they had been granted special powers under the Terrorism Act ahead of the event, allowing officers to request identification and search vehicles in designated areas.

“The granting of special powers to police under anti-terrorism laws has clearly been to afford them the ability to violently suppress this protest action with as many resources as they have available,” a spokesperson for the group said.

“We call on the Victorian Government to withdraw these additional powers immediately.”

Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell has called for an independent inquiry into police tactics following a violent clash between police and protesters outside the Land Forces expo today.

Sandell said she supported her fellow Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri who attended the protests in Melbourne.

Protesters hold their hands in the air after a person was hit by a rubber bullet fired by police on Spencer Street Bridge on Wednesday.Credit: Justin McManus

“She [Gabrielle] went down to the protest for one hour today to witness what was happening and to speak to protesters,” Sandell told ABC Melbourne radio this afternoon.

Incumbent Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece earlier criticised politicians who went to the protests, telling them to “stick to their day jobs”.

Sandell said she wanted to see an independent inquiry into the police tactics used including rubber bullets and pepper spray.

She said protest organisers had called for the protests to be peaceful. However, she acknowledged that some “took it upon themselves to not do that.”

“By and large people came down to the protest against the weapons expo peacefully and they were met by a huge barrage of riot police and police with rubber bullets, police with stun grenades [that were] thrown in crowded areas.

“I saw with my own eyes lines of people standing with their hands in the air.”

Melbourne commuters can expect transport delays throughout the city following protests outside the Land Forces military expo today.

Vic Traffic confirmed Spencer and Clarendon streets remain closed both directions between Flinders Street and City Road due to protest activity.

Police and protesters clash near a tram stop on Wednesday.Credit: Chris Hopkins

Commuters are encouraged to take alternative routes including Kings Way or Queensbridge Street.Public Transport Victoria said several CBD trams were impacted and said delays may occur.

A full list of impacted tram routes and replacement buses can be found here or on the PTV app.

Chief commissioner Shane Patton has backed Victoria Police officers for showing “restraint” while dealing with protesters at the Land Forces rally today.

Patton criticised protesters for being “hypocrites”, describing their conduct in clashes with police as appalling. He said many of those who attended the anti-war protest outside the convention centre intended to cause violence.

Police use pepper spray on protesters.Credit: Chris Hopkins

“They were standing there in full-face balaclavas with ski masks on. There was no snow there,” he said.

He said officers were assaulted and shoved, while some had bottles thrown at them. Balloons were also thrown containing low levels of acid that could cause irritants, such as a rash, he said.

“One [officer] was hit with a beer bottle. One had a full can of baked beans thrown at them. It was appalling behaviour,” he said.

Patton said the use of force by police, which included rubber bullets, flashbang devices and pepper spray, was appropriately deployed.

He rubbished calls for an independent inquiry into police behaviour.

“We have conducted ourselves properly. I couldn’t be prouder of the offices down there and to see the way they used restraint,” he said.

Anti-war protesters deliberately targeted trucks on Melbourne’s roads by cutting air lines that disabled their brakes, according to the container freight industry.

The Container Transport Alliance Australia said in the media release that at least five heavy vehicles were targeted while stopped at major intersections around Melbourne.

They said the protesters used knives or another sharp implement to sever the air lines that control the breaking system between a prime mover and trailer.

“Container freight movements were severely impacted today,” the CTAA said.

The lobby group has called on the Victorian state government to allow heavy trucks to use a temporary detour via the Bolte Bridge to access to and from Webb Dock for the rest of the week.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece has condemned the protests outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre today, saying the behaviour “does not represent what we are as a city”.

“The acts of protesters have gone well beyond the pale and I condemn them in the strongest terms,” he told Nine News.

A protester is seen raising hands in front of police.Credit: Chris Hopkins

“I condemn the acts we’ve seen down there at the convention centre today, people throwing large rocks, tipping things over, starting fires, creating barricades out of scooters, putting other people’s lives at risk, particularly Victorian Police lives and welfare at risk.”

Reece also criticised politicians who went to the protests, telling them to “stick to their day jobs” and not engage in “violent protest activity on our streets”.

Greens MP Gabrielle de Vietri missed part of the parliamentary sitting day to attend.

It’s started to rain in Melbourne, which has dispersed most of the remaining attendees of today’s protest outside the Land Forces military expo.

Victoria Police has just issued an alert to the media to say that Chief Commissioner Shane Patton will provide an update on the protest at 3.30pm this afternoon.

Meanwhile, here are some pictures of inside the exhibition centre from Age photographer Eddie Jim:

A Lockheed Martin precision strike missile on display at the Land Forces expo.Credit: Eddie Jim

An M1A2 Abrams tank on display.Credit: Eddie Jim