Anti-mandate protest clashes with police

A Territory politician has attended an anti-vaccine mandate process, saying they want to get the “feeling of the community”.

CLP Senator Sam McMahon has attended an anti-vaccine mandate process, saying she wants to get the “feeling of the community”.

“I do sympathise with them,” she said.

“I mean, I’m pro-vaccination. I’m fully vaccinated. But I support people’s right not to be if that’s their choice.”

The Senator was one of hundreds attending the mostly peaceful protest on Saturday.

She said she was not protesting or marching and did not agree with all the views held at the rallly.

“There’s a lot of views held by people over there that I don’t agree with,” she said.

“So long as they’re protesting peacefully and lawfully, I support people’s right to do that.”

She said there were a lot of people protesting who were vaccinated but wanted a choice.

“If someone doesn’t want to have a medical procedure, they want to have that choice. They shouldn’t lose their job, their home because they’ve made a choice not to undergo a medical procedure.”

Protester arrested at January 16, 2022 anti-vaccine mandate protest

A MAN has been thrown in the back of a paddywagon as chaos erupted at the front of an anti-vaccination protest in Darwin’s CBD on Saturday.

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15, 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

The man tried to resist several police officers as they escorted him to the back of a waiting police van while nearby protesters began yelling “you serve us!”.

Protesters then sat on Mitchell St for about a minute to block police from leaving, but this proved ineffective after police decided to put the van in reverse.

It’s unclear why the man was taken into custody.

Protesters try to block police cars on Mitchell St. Picture: Thomas Morgan

The situation proved a source of unexpected entertainment for nearby patrons of Mitchell St watering holes.

The protest then continued toward Parliament House.

The protesters are rallying against the government’s vaccine mandate which forces workers in most industries to receive Covid-19 vaccines if they want to continue working.

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Some of the protesters in attendance are currently facing charges in court for being involved in riots at previous anti-mandate rallies.

The rallies have occurred each weekend since the mandate was announced, though the group did take some time off over Christmas.

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Protesters march through Darwin’s CBD against vaccination mandates on January 15 2022. Picture: Thomas Morgan

Parliament security risks still to be assessed

A SECURITY threat assessment will determine if the public can return to the parliamentary gallery in time the start of the new sitting year.

Speaker Ngaree Ah Kit said she would have to make a security threat assessment over the public’s access, which was revoked after warnings from the NT Police in late November.

Ms Ah Kit made the decision to close the gallery as a result of the security concerns.

A NT PFES spokeswoman at the time said the rising threats of violence and anti-mandate protests triggered a risk assessment by police.

It came as Territory leaders, politicians, journalists and business people all revealed they were the targets of threats after speaking out against the anti-vaxxer movement.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said death threats were made about his 19-month-old son, with one online troll messaging “better to kill all your offspring so there’s no generation from you evil people” to a family Instagram account.

The final sessions of the 2021 parliament were still available to watch via livestream on the NT parliament website.

On Wednesday Ms Ah Kit said a decision to reopen the gallery in 2022 would be made closer to the reopening of parliament on February 15.

Originally published as Anti-mandate protest clashes with police