Pro-Palestine protester arrested for trying to egg Premier
A woman has been detained by police and fined after allegedly throwing eggs at Queensland Premier Steven Miles and his senior cabinet members at a Labour Day march in Brisbane.
A pro-Palestine protester has been arrested and fined $1392 after allegedly throwing eggs towards Queensland Premier Steven Miles and senior members of his cabinet at a Labour Day march in Brisbane.
The 25-year-old woman was quickly restrained by four police officers after throwing an egg towards but missing Mr Miles, and accusing him of “supporting genocide” in Gaza.
Mr Miles was leading the march with his wife and daughter, union leaders, senior cabinet ministers and national Labor president Wayne Swan.
An egg landed on the ground near Sandgate MP Stirling Hinchliffe, who was walking next to Mr Miles, with some yolk splattering on the backbencher’s trousers.
In a statement, Queensland police said the woman allegedly caused a “political disturbance” and was arrested.
“(She) allegedly attempted to interfere with the march, with officers attempting to move her on peacefully.
“She failed to comply with police direction and was subsequently arrested.”
The woman was held against a glass shopfront in Fortitude Valley and handcuffed before being escorted away by police.
She was later issued three fines, totalling $1392, for public nuisance, assaulting police and obstructing police.
She has not been charged.
A second woman with a megaphone yelled: “Steven Miles, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide” as the activist was being arrested.
Protesters waving Palestinian flags, some with signs bearing the anti-Israel slogan “from the river to the sea”, also heckled Mr Miles and senior ALP members during the march.
Mr Miles led the annual parade of about 10,000 people through Brisbane’s CBD on Monday morning.
His speech at the RNA showgrounds at the end of the march was also interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters.
A man in his 60s was arrested at the showgrounds for obstructing police and issued with a fine.
Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies president Jason Steinberg said the alleged actions of protesters was “shocking”.
“It’s absolutely disgraceful that anyone would throw eggs at an elected representative,” he said.
“The Premier and the government have been nothing but supportive of all cultures in Queensland, and for them to be targeted like that is unacceptable in our society.
“I think it is a symptom of how social cohesiveness in our society is decaying and we need our political leaders to stay strong and show more leadership to say it’s unacceptable.”
More Coverage
Aussie surfing champ to test UAE anti-gay laws
World No. 1 Tyler Wright, the only openly gay surfer on the WSL tour, says she’ll now compete in Abu Dhabi after previously slamming organisers for allowing the event to proceed there.
Nationwide ban for ‘kill Israeli’ nurses who have declined to be interviewed by police
Authorities have banned two nurses who vowed to ‘kill’ Israeli patients from practising again in Australia’s healthcare system as police continued their criminal probe amid a ‘full analysis’ of hospital patient records.