Pregnant mum Zoe Buhler’s arrest is dictatorial and dangerous

Ballarat resident Zoe Buhler was arrested at her home over a social media post encouraging people to attend an anti-lockdown rally. Pictures: Supplied

I stand with Dan … on people’s necks.

That’s the situation as it is now unfolding in Victoria. I was going to say it’s rapidly approaching a police state, but maybe we’re already there.

If you haven’t already seen it, watch this video of the young mum in Ballarat – a pregnant woman – being handcuffed, in her own house, in her pyjamas.

Her alleged crime?

She posted something on Facebook.

The woman is Zoe Buhler, and she was arrested for incitement on Wednesday afternoon while her children and husband watched.

She is one of thousands of people who have posted on Facebook for people to attend a “Freedom Day” this weekend.

The handcuffs come out as Zoe Buhler is arrested in her home. Picture: Supplied

Zoe Buhler in a picture from one of her social media pages. Picture: Supplied

She lives in a state where children are being forced into homeschooling; where there’s an 8pm curfew; where you can’t even go to the supermarket with your husband to buy your groceries, because that’s breaking the law; where you can’t go anywhere without a mask.

She thinks it is ridiculous, given how the rest of the world has opened up.

For inviting people to protest, she’s been arrested.

“Excuse me, incitement for what, what on earth? I’m in my pyjamas, my two kids are here,” she says.

The police don’t care. They cuff her anyway.

This is how democracy works in Victoria?

Police didn’t ask in a reasonable and sensible manner for her to take the post down. Which makes the situation so much worse, because wait … how many of the Black Lives Matter supporters got arrested, for posting, before their protest got the go-ahead?

None.

Why did their protest get the go-ahead, while this one is banned?

“I have an ultrasound in an hour because I’m pregnant,” Ms Buhler says.

Her husband pleads with them to let her take the post down (which she shouldn’t have to do, either; people are entitled to their opinions.)

But again, police don’t care. She’s being arrested for posting on Facebook.

It’s dictatorial, undemocratic, and dangerous. You can accept and support the lockdown. You can be in favour of saving as many lives as possible. You should still be opposed to cuffing anyone for posting about an upcoming protest on Facebook.