Police pounce on car outside Flemington complex as nine Melbourne public housing buildings locked down

Police have dramatically surrounded a woman who failed to stop her car outside one of the locked down public housing buildings in inner Melbourne.

Police have dramatically pounced on a woman who failed to stop her car outside one of the locked down public housing buildings in inner Melbourne.

A witness saw officers surround the woman’s vehicle outside the Racecourse Rd apartment complexes in Flemington on Sunday morning where the woman could be heard yelling “I’m just going to get coffee”.

Police managed to stop the woman who was taken over to the steps of one of the buildings and questioned before she was allowed to continue on.

It’s not known if the woman was a resident of one of the buildings but it’s unlikely given she was allowed to keep going.

In the past 24 hours to 10am on Sunday police had fined 16 people breaching the chief health officer’s restrictions.

Police swarm the car of a woman at public housing on Racecourse Rd in Flemington which have been locked down by the Victorian Government in an attempt to stop the outbreak of COVID-19. Picture: David Crosling

At least 500 police officers per shift have been tasked to guard about 3000 residents in nine public housing towers in Flemington and North Melbourne who are not allowed to leave their homes for at least five days.

Premier Daniel Andrews announced the measures on Saturday after Victoria recorded a spike of 108 new coronavirus cases. On Sunday, 74 new cases were confirmed, bringing the weekend total to 182.

At least 27 COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the public housing buildings – 14 at Flemington and 13 at North Melbourne.

Officers speaking to the woman in Flemington who could be heard shouting she was just going for coffee. Picture: David Crosling

Police trying to stop the woman’s car outside the Racecourse Rd public housing towers. Picture: David Crosling

Residents peer out the windows at the public housing towers on Racecourse Rd in Flemington which have been locked down by the Victorian Government. Picture: David Crosling

Two extra postcodes 3031 and 3051 – which cover those two suburbs and Kensington – went into lockdown from 11.59pm on Saturday night.

On Sunday morning about 50-60 police officers could be seen guarding the towers at Flemington, with officers spread around the buildings guarding fire exits, driveways, walkways and entrances and exits.

Booze buses were parked out the front and medical staff could be seen coming and going from the buildings.

Medical staff at government housing towers on Racecourse road in Flemington which have been locked down by the Victorian Government in an attempt to stop the outbreak of COVID-19. Picture: David Crosling

Mr Andrews said police would be securing the perimeter of the buildings as well as having officers on each floor responsible for monitoring residents to make sure they are complying with the restrictions and staying in their home and not using shared spaces.

He said they were still looking into whether there was a safe way of letting residents out each day for fresh air as was the case with the hotel quarantine measures.

A police booze bus outside the public housing buildings in Flemington. Picture: David Crosling

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