‘Morons’: Premier blasts protesters after Myer Christmas windows launch scrapped

Premier Jacinta Allan has insisted that Victoria Police has all the necessary powers to deal with unruly protesters, labelling the activist group who threatened to disrupt Myer’s Christmas windows launch “morons”.

A small group of pro-Palestine protesters on Friday cancelled a planned demonstration after Myer scrapped the Sunday launch.

Allan – who earlier accused the protesters of “politicising Christmas” – bristled at suggestions that a protest permit scheme or a strengthening of the police’s move-along powers were necessary.

“Do we really think the same sort of morons who want to disrupt a beautiful Christmas tradition for families is going to apply for a permit?” she said on Friday afternoon.

“Police already have the powers to move people on if they are a posing a risk ... they also can receive additional forces, as we saw during the Land Forces conference, to take even stronger action when it’s applied.”

Myer on Thursday night said it was scrapping the event – which is attended annually by children and families – after the protesters announced their plan. The windows will still open on Sunday and remain open until January.

“Crash the Christmas Windows” organiser Amy Settal on Friday said the anti-war group was calling off the protest as a result of the cancellation.

The activists, who are calling for a free Palestine, had planned to meet at the State Library before proceeding to Bourke Street for the window unveiling.

“The children coming to see the Myer Christmas windows were never a target, because children are not a target,” Settal said in a statement. “In light of Myer’s decision to cancel their window reveal event, planned disruptions will not go ahead.”

Despite the cancellation of the protest, a Myer spokesperson said it would not proceed with the launch for safety reasons.

Police and a security guard outside Myer on Friday afternoon.Credit: Joe Armao

The planned protest was shared on social media by pro-Palestinian group Disrupt Wars.

The small group of activists is separate to the organisers of the main Pro-Palestine protest group that marches through the city each Sunday. That group plans to divert its regular route to avoid the launch event.

Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni, who organises the weekly protests, said he would not condemn any legal action that draws awareness to the suffering of those in Gaza.

“It’s given us an opportunity to speak and re-raise all of the issues that Palestinians in Palestine are facing, but also the supporters are facing here.

“We’ve got to do more to treat Palestine the way we treat Ukraine,” he said.

Allan said she joined in the “fury” of Victorians after the cancellation of the official launch.

“The condemnation that I have led, with many others in our community, has seen this very, very small group of divisive protesters walk away from what they have planned,” she said.

“[The windows] will be open for the thousands and thousands of Victorians from all different backgrounds, from all different parts of the state, to come and enjoy that beautiful family tradition.”

David Spiteri and his daughter Georgia Spiteri, 6, at Myer on Friday afternoon. Credit: Joe Armao

Allan said she had been briefed by the Victoria Police chief commissioner, who assured her the force had a strong plan to deal with any violent behaviour on the weekend.

Police on Friday clarified that it had “not made any recommendations about cancelling the event … the community should be assured Victoria Police will have a visible presence on Sunday”.

However, Port Melbourne local David Spiteri, father of two, said he would not feel safe taking his kids, Georgie, 6, and Charlie, 4, to the windows on Sunday despite it being a family tradition.

“[I’m] a little bit disappointed. Obviously, everyone’s got their own opinion and own right to protest against things, but targeting something like that [is not the right thing to do].”

The state opposition has supported calls for a NSW-style protest permit system, which gives police the ability to go to court to dispute protest permits on public safety grounds.

Victorian Chamber for Commerce and Industry boss Paul Guerra said the ongoing weekly protests against the conflict in the Middle East were impacting businesses in the CBD.

“Something needs to be done, and it needs to be done quickly … hopefully, today is the impetus to finally put a permit system in place,” he said.

Opposition Leader John Pesutto also vowed to work with police to expand their powers dealing with protesters if he were elected premier at the next state election.

However, Victoria Police assistant chief commissioner Tim Tully questioned how effective an expansion of powers would be for this particular protest.

“Ultimately, we operate within the law – we don’t make the law. And probably in terms of powers, I think it’s a bit more than that, this event – it’s about decency and respect.

“People have a right to peacefully protest, and we have to look at all options as to how we will actually manage that moving forward.”

Nick Reece, Melbourne’s newly elected lord mayor, said he still planned to attend the windows on Sunday with his children.

A pro-Palestine protest in Melbourne on July 21.Credit: AAP

Allan, joined by a group of multicultural and religious leaders at Friday’s press conference, also announced Labor would introduce strengthened anti-vilification laws to parliament later this month.

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