Violent turn by pro-Palestinian movement using acid and projectiles a strategic mistake

Anti-war activists in Melbourne on Wednesday. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The use of acid, projectiles and the targeting of police horses by anti-war protesters is a disgusting low among a group of demonstrators who have lost their moral compass.

Victoria Police was right to fight back, sending the clearest possible message to pro-Palestinian and anti-war protesters that it won’t idly stand by and accept such criminal behaviour.

Anti-riot officers hit back with a series of deafening blasts and front-foot policing designed to contain violent extremism.

For the first time since the pandemic unrest, police pulled out the rubber bullets, batons, teargas and stun grenades to put protesters back in their collective box.

They deserved what they got.

By going so hard, police are flagging to protesters that violence against officers and their horses will not be tolerated, regardless of the cause.

While the Land Forces 24 conference was the purported target of the protesters, the 2000 or so people who marched were united under the banner of supporting Gaza.

However, the strategy, fuelled by hard core socialists, relied heavily on violent resistance. This was a mistake.

Throwing acid, tearing down security walls, hurling stones and horse manure at police and their horses triggered the firmest anti-riot response in years.

Protesters clash with police in Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

The decision to adopt violent protest tactics was a sharp shift from the past 11 months, when most of the public pro-Palestine rallies have erred on the side of peace.

Wednesday’s rally changes this dynamic.

For much of the battle in the late morning, protesters gave the police the moral authority to strike back with force.

The protesters also lost the strategic war.

Protesters confront police outside the Land Forces 2024 arms fair in Melbourne. Picture: AFP

While they were hurling projectiles at police, the delegates to the conference were quietly walking into the Melbourne convention centre through a front door 150m away.

Present at the protest was Nasser Mashni, president of the Australian Palestine Advocacy Network, who lent his support to the Gaza cause but had no involvement in the violence.

Free Palestine Melbourne banners were common, as was the Socialist Alternative, the Victorian Socialists and Students for Palestine.

At one point the protesters chanted “the people united, will never be defeated’’, a trusty old Trades Hall chant.

Anti-war activists set fire to bins as police close in. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

In other words, the protesters were an effective anti-war coalition that mirrored Melbourne’s weekly anti-Israel parades, with leaflets being distributed for Marxism Discussion Groups at Brunswick’s Red Flag Bookstore, hosted by the Socialist Alternative.

In some ways it makes you want to smile.

But there is a danger in what has happened.

The protest leaders have sharply raised the temperature on the Middle East in what is Australia’s protest capital.

It now means that when protesters step out, they will know how to maximise attention for their cause.

This is not something that police or the Victorian or Australian governments will be looking for.

The plan has been for nearly a year to encourage respectful dialogue.

That ended the moment the protesters chose anarchy over peace.