Victoria Police accuses rioters of harming horses amid Melbourne anti-war protests
Protesters squirted an irritant up the nostrils of some police horses and the visors of some riders during the rioting in Melbourne that led to dozens of injuries and arrests.
Protesters squirted an irritant up the nostrils of some police horses and the visors of some riders during the rioting in Melbourne that led to dozens of injuries and arrests.
Police have revealed that horses and their handlers had shown signs of skin irritation after the protest outside the Land Forces 24 Expo, which descended into violence on Wednesday.
Police had said acid was thrown at some police and now have discovered an unknown substance was deliberately sprayed up the nostrils of some of the horses, also affecting the handlers.
“While washing down the horses after their shift, several Mounted Branch members and stable hands also showed signs of skin irritation,’’ police said.
“The specialised uniforms worn by Mounted Branch members, such as jodhpurs and ballistic vests, were also contaminated and likely will have to be replaced.
“The horses were assessed (on Thursday morning) and determined that their symptoms had subsided.’’
Police arrested five people on Thursday during more subdued protests, with weapons and drugs seized as well as bottles of red paint, marbles and bags of small rocks used to create obstacles for the police horses.
It was part of a broader police operation that kept up to 150 pro-Palestinian protesters largely at bay after the wild scenes that erupted on Wednesday.
Police also are investigating the assault of a 47-year-old conference attendee, who also had urine and faeces tipped on him at 9.19am on Spencer Street Bridge when he was trying to enter the event.
“He sustained minor injuries that did not require treatment,” police said in a statement.
“Following yesterday’s protest, it was identified that several police horses showed signs of skin irritation caused by the liquid substances thrown at Mounted Branch members.
“It’s believed that protesters targeted the members and their mounts, purposely spraying irritant into the horses’ noses under their face coverings and under the face shields of their riders.’’
Federal Liberal frontbencher Michael Sukkar moved a motion in parliament calling on the Greens to condemn state MP Gabrielle de Vietri, who attended the riots and accused police of using excessive force.
Premier Jacinta Allan doubled down on her criticism of the protests, saying the use of rocks, bottles and balloons filled with urine and acid had outlined how dangerous the activists had become.
“Your intent is not to peacefully protest, indeed your motives are exposed, and those motives are to drive further conflict and division here on the streets of Melbourne,” she said. “That is unacceptable, totally unacceptable.”
Ms Allan’s condemnation comes as the pro-Palestinian activists escalated their rhetoric during campaigning.
Ihab Al Azhari, founder of “The Sit-Intifada” movement, pledged there will be a stronger, more fearless “resistance” following the strong police response at Wednesday’s anti-war riot.
Mr Al Azhari has become a familiar face in Melbourne, organising a weekly pro-Palestinian protest. He has based himself on the forecourt of state parliament since the deadly Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7 last year.
“The Sit-Intifada” is a pun based on the Arabic word “intifada”, meaning an uprising of Muslims against Israel. Osama bin Laden used the last “blessed intifada” to justify the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania.
On Thursday, Mr Al Azhari confronted a line of Victoria Police officers blocking protesters from approaching the weapons expo, wishing upon them the same suffering endured by Gazans.
“I do wish it on you,” he told police. “Because you are complicit, and if it happens to you, remember me, remember what I’m saying to you. You are part of this crap system,” he said. “The pieces you cut from us will grow in the ground and will bring more resistance.
“I say that they deserve to see the suffering the children from Gaza see, the whole system. Every single one of them. We believe the Australian government is complicit in genocide and the people in front of me (police) support the system, so I say to them good luck. You deserve it.”
Mr Al Azhari dismissed police claims horses were attacked during the riot and denied being present when “coward” activists threw acid, horse manure and other objects at police, injuring 29 officers.
“If I was there, I would have taken those cowards to police myself,” he said.
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