Martin Lindsay Strong pleads guilty over anti-vax mandate march at Caneland Central

An anti-vax mandate marcher who was among a large group that stormed a regional shopping centre and hurled abuse at community members wearing masks will have to fork out for a hefty fine. Read what happened.

An anti-vax mandate marcher who was among a large group that stormed Caneland Central and hurled abuse at community members wearing masks will have to fork out for a hefty fine.

Multiple police crews were called to the shopping centre on January 22, 2022 after hundreds of people marched from a rally at Bluewater Quay and tried to gain entry to the Mangrove Rd centre.

An anti vaccination rally marched on Caneland Central in January 2022.

Mackay Magistrates Court heard centre management told police “the large group were presenting as verbally abusive and aggressive to members of the community”.

Prosecutor Harry Coburn said they were not permitted to enter and doors were closed and locked as a result, however, a number entered through the emergency fire door “and commenced marching through the centre”.

Martin Lindsay Strong pleaded guilty to police obstruction after an anti Covid vax mandate group marched in Caneland Central.

Mr Coburn said the mob was yelling and abusing shoppers “who were choosing to wear face masks as per mandates” while a large group also surrounded a pop-up clinic where nurses were on duty to administer the vaccine “and screamed verbal abuse”.

The court heard while police were involved in arresting people at the Caneland entrance, Martin Lindsay Strong approached and “positioned his phone centimetres away from the faces of officers obstructing the duty they were carrying out”.

Mackay police arrested a number of men after members of an anti vaccination rally entered the busy shopping centre.

Mr Coburn said Strong was affiliated with Worldwide Rally for Freedom Mackay.

The court heard he was warned a number of times he was obstructing police before he was arrested.

“He’s then run from police further into the shopping centre resulting in a foot chase,” Mr Coburn said.

Strong pleaded guilty to obstructing police. Mr Coburn said other than this conduct, Strong was “a man of good character”.

Strong was fined $750 and a conviction was not recorded.

The 52 year old had lived in Mackay for 13 years and worked on construction projects around the state.

Acting Magistrate William Cooper said the public was entitled to go about their business and that the police had a job to do.

“You stand in front of them with a camera not helping them do their job,” Mr Cooper said.

Strong was fined $750 and a conviction was not recorded.

Originally published as Martin Lindsay Strong pleads guilty over anti-vax mandate march at Caneland Central