Police hunt Richmond rioters as officers close in on protests

Police have arrested one person and remain on the hunt for 10 others in the aftermath of a violent protest that hit inner city Melbourne earlier this month.

Police have arrested one person and remain on the hunt for 10 others in the aftermath of a violent protest that hit inner city Melbourne earlier this month.

Multiple police were injured, including six that were hospitalised, after the anti-lockdown rally the spanned across Richmond, Burnley and Kew on September 18.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said detectives had arrested a 21 year-old man from Brunswick West over the assault of an officer at the demonstration.

The man has been charged with multiple offences including assault police, recklessly cause injury and hinder police.

It comes just days after police arrested the alleged ring leader of the illegal Richmond riot who they claim encouraged others to breach the chief health officer’s lockdown orders.

Protesters violently clashed with police on September 18. Picture: Jason Edwards

At least 700 people attended the protest that started in Richmond and resulted in crowds walking through the streets to Burnley and Kew.

Police arrested 235 people and fined 193 for breaching lockdown restrictions at the event and alleged officers were subject to violent, hostile and aggressive behaviour.

Five police officers were hospitalised from injuries sustained at the protest, while numerous others were allegedly assaulted and had projectiles hurled at them.

A number of officers were also knocked to the ground and trampled when the police line was rushed by the crowd on Barkers Rd, Kew.

Police on Thursday released images of 10 men they want to speak to in relation to incidents at the rally, and a further two for incitement, affray and assaulting police on Barkers Rd.

Protesters meet a huge police presence in Richmond, blocking off the CBD with a ‘ring of steel’. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Richmond rally was among a handful of angry protests held throughout Melbourne over last week, which saw hundreds of people storm city suburbs and iconic structures including the Shrine of Remembrance and the West Gate Bridge.

While the Richmond riot has been labelled the most violent of the riots thus far, a second violent protest outside the CFMEU headquarters has now become a tier one and tier two exposure site.

Four positive cases have been linked to the protest so far, with a number of union staff and officials forced into quarantine.

The protests have drawn in construction workers, anti-lockdown activists and the far-right.

Authorities confirmed at least two people who attended rallies were confirmed to have Covid-19, with fears the demonstrations could turn into superspreader events.

“The protests are not immune from Covid,” testing head Jeroen Weimar said last week.

“They are not immune from those transmission risks.”

Victoria recorded 1438 new cases on Thursday.

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Originally published as Police hunt Richmond rioters as officers close in on protests