Arrest of pregnant mum over FB post unacceptable

Has Victoria resorted to the tactics of our northern Asian neighbour North Korea (“Pregnant mum Zoe Buhler’s arrest is dictatorial and dangerous”, 3/9)? I would call it Victoria’s “day of shame”. Many months ago, with COVID-19 infection rates rising, 10,000 people happily gathered in Melbourne’s CBD to protest Black Lives Matter. Minimal police attended, negligible arrests made and there was little government outrage.

Fast forward to September 2, 2020, and a pyjama-clad woman in Ballarat, preparing to go to a pregnancy ultrasound, is arrested in her own home, in front of her children. She is handcuffed, read her rights and is charged with posting on social media about a protest against draconian Victorian restrictions on personal liberty.

After residing in Victoria for more than 70 years, never before have I heard or witnessed such a depraved act of government overreach, of public victimisation. I’m sure that a Victorian drug dealer apprehended within the vicinity of the Richmond safe-injecting facility would not be handcuffed or arrested (pregnant or otherwise). Has Victoria now totally lost its moral compass? Has it simultaneously arrived at financial and ethical bankruptcy?

Lyle Geyer, Essendon, Vic

The arrest of a young mum in Victoria must be one of the most disgraceful attacks on free speech in Australian history. I disagree with the content of the woman’s post on Facebook inviting people to protest at “Freedom Day”. However, the Orwellian arrival of the “Victorian Thought Police” to arrest the woman in front of her husband and children is indefensible. Where are the retired judges and lawyers who are supposed to be champions of free speech? This chilling spectacle should never be repeated.

Greg Williams, Bellbowrie, Qld

There are many things wrong with the government of Victoria and its handling of the COVID crisis, but the arrest of Zoe Buhler for incitement tells us not to believe Daniel Andrews when he claims to wear a democratic mantle.

Now that Victorians know that arrest, criminal sanction and incarceration await them if they try to protest against Daniel Andrews’ abuse of parliamentary powers, it is time for that government to seek the endorsement of the Victorian electorate. In the meantime, Buhler needs a civil libertarian to raise her right to political free speech. After all, the High Court did say we are all entitled to it somewhere in the Constitution.

David Long, Griffith Law Futures, Qld

Following the arrest and handcuffing of a young pregnant woman in her pyjamas and in front of her children I believe Dan Andrews has reached a new low. It is time he started issuing black leather trench coats to Victoria Police. We are treading a very undemocratic and totally unacceptable path. What can we do to restore a semblance of rational behaviour in Victoria’s government?

Steve Clarke, Kew, Vic

Is this what we’ve become? A young, pregnant mum is arrested for planning a “Freedom March”? Last month the sight of a girl being arrested for walking down the street without a mask moved me to tears. Sure, she was resisting arrest, but so would I. I don’t blame the police. I’m sure they are just as confused and disillusioned as the rest of us.

But if 10,000 can gather for the BLM rally and no one is arrested, fast-forward a few months and two guys just planning a march are arrested. And a guy sitting in his car giving his flat-mate some privacy is fined $1600.

The police ridicule anyone opposed to Andrews, yet do not say boo about the BLM people. Why? To paraphrase Martin Niemoller, “first they came for the communists, but I did not speak out, because I wasn’t a communist … then they came for me”.

This is not an Australia I will accept. The Andrews government must go.

Wayne Alexander, Eltham, Vic

Easy targets for arrest are becoming de rigueur by Victoria Police. Their latest arrest (in the name of incitement) of a pregnant woman (in her pyjamas) for a Facebook post falls beyond the scope of this writer to describe. There are no words condemnatory enough.

Over to you, Prime Minister. How long will you allow this travesty of a democratic Premier to continue to play his grisly, totalitarian games at the expense of Victorian Australians?

Eirene Angi Bennett, D’Aguilar, Qld