A man who allegedly performed the Nazi salute is among a dozen people arrested since an anti-war demonstration descended into chaos, with violent clashes erupting between activists and police.
Day one of the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, a three-day conference which billed itself as Australia’s largest defence industry exhibition, was marred by police firing rubber bullets and protesters hurling horse manure on September 11.
Almost 90 people were either charged or fined on the day, with detectives from the dedicated Bastion Taskforce having since arrested a further 12 people, Victoria Police revealed on Thursday.
Among them was a 63-year-old man from Crib Point on the Mornington Peninsula, who was arrested on October 22 for allegedly performing a Nazi salute in a public place at the protest.
“He is expected to be charged on summons with the offence,” a police spokeswoman said.
A person detectives still want to speak to.Credit: Victoria Police.
Others arrested after the event included a 30-year-old man accused of pushing crates against police horses. He was granted bail and due to appear in court on November 21, along with a pair allegedly involved in an altercation with an expo attendee.
Detectives were still looking for more than two dozen other people over the protest, during which they said mounted officers and their horses were splashed and sprayed with a liquid irritant, which went into their mouths and nostrils.
The mounted police and horses were also repeatedly pushed and hit with plastic crates, police allege.
Some protesters pelted police with horse faeces, rocks, eggs, beer bottles, tomatoes and a liquid later detected to contain a mild acid.
After the protest, Victoria Police defended its use of force, which included foam bullets, stun grenades, tear gas and pepper spray, to control the crowd.
Disrupt Land Forces – a conglomerate protest group leading the action – said at the time “butyric acid, a food additive made from dairy products, was also deployed”.
“During the protests, which occurred outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, it’s alleged there were rocks, projectiles, liquid which smelt strongly of vomit, horse manure, eggs and liquid irritants hurled at police officers, horses, and expo attendees,” the police spokeswoman said on Thursday.
“Police want to speak to these people in relation to a range of offences including assault police, animal cruelty, affray, discharging a missile and obstructing police.”
Another of the people at the protest who detectives still want to speak to.Credit: Victoria Police.
The police union described scenes at the demonstration as “some of the most violent” protests officers had seen in decades.
Disrupt Land Forces is calling for an end to weapons sales to Israel and an arms embargo.
After the protest, the group said: “[Police] have attacked us with blows, kicks and boots on our throats, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets.”
Police urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.