Anti-lockdown protesters have vowed to continue taking to Melbourne’s streets, as three people faced court on Saturday night over their involvement in the controversial rally earlier in the day.
A man is seen bleeding from a head wound incurred during a dramatic arrest in Hyde Park.CREDIT:BROOK MITCHELL
Seventeen were arrested and at least 160 fines were issued to protesters who swarmed parts of Melbourne on Saturday and clashed with police.
As of Saturday night, five had been charged with breaching Chief Health Officer directives and bailed, two were released pending summons, seven were issued with fines and released and three appeared before court via video link and are expected to be charged.
Victoria Police estimated about 200 people gathered at the Shrine of Remembrance late on Saturday morning after people used social media to tout “Freedom Day” rallies in capital cities around the country – including in Melbourne where stage four lockdown restrictions are in place.
One person was arrested for assaulting a police officer who suffered a laceration to the head, 15 were arrested for breaching the Chief Health Officer directions and one person was arrested on other charges, a police spokeswoman said.
“Despite all the warnings, it was disappointing to see individuals turn out to protest in the city today, putting the lives of Victorians at risk,” she said.
Dozens more protesters were tackled to the ground and led away over the course of a demonstration that lasted for several hours.
About 100 police were in and around the Shrine early in the day. Mounted officers were used to move the crowd on about midday amid chants of ‘Dictator Dan’ and ‘Let the kids live’.
One woman, who would not share her name, but said she was from France, told media at the Shrine: “We’re not criminal, we’re not doing anything wrong”.
“Everyone here has families, they’re here with their friends, they don’t want to get arrested,” she said. “There’s so many people who would love to be here today but they can’t.”
In one incident, a man charged at police as they arrested another person and began throwing punches before he was also arrested.
Another man was arrested by police after telling officers any fines would be “unlawful”. His white T-shirt sported black hand-written scrawl about Bill Gates – the founder of Microsoft.
“We’re trying to educate people. We’re trying to tell people what’s going on,” he said after police had him handcuffed.
Police told the woman to move away, as she had already received a fine for breaking the Chief Health Officer’s stay-at-home directions.
Asked about the heavy police presence in central Melbourne on Saturday Premier Daniel Andrews revealed his own car was stopped on the way to work this morning.
“There is a very visible, very significant police presence in the city,” he said.
“The only protest we should be engaged in, the only argument, the only fight we should be engaged in as against this virus.
“Let’s not any of us do anything that might jeopardise this strategy stopping, let’s not any of us do anything that might see more coronavirus cases rather than less. That is just not worth it.”
Anti-lockdown activists have drawn thousands of their followers onto encrypted messaging apps as Facebook and Instagram block their social media pages.
A channel appeared on chat app Telegram on Tuesday, and by Saturday night had garnered more than 5800 members.
“Don’t go tomorrow … it’s a trap. Don’t do it,” Mr Bartolo urged his thousands of followers on Friday morning.
“Because what’s going to happen is Daniel Andrews will just blame the protest for the lockdown extension. Don’t go to the protest so he has nothing to blame.
Many of the leaders who called for the protest to be called off remain silent on their social media channels on Saturday after the protest went ahead, but others were heralding the day a success.
Matthew Lawson, a prominent anti-lockdown promotor in Melbourne, said he attended the Saturday protest despite reinforcing the “cancelled” message 24 hours earlier.
Messages from organisers on one of the largest encrypted chat groups said Saturday’s protest encouraged more people to attend future rallies, in breach of health orders.
Police have drawn criticism in recent days from legal and civil liberty groups for their treatment of alleged organisers accused of inciting the protests. theage
In one case, a pregnant woman from Ballarat was arrested and handcuffed in her lounge on Wednesday while a Melbourne man had his door broken down on Friday morning when police arrested and charged him with alleged incitment.
“This is not a pandemic, 650 deaths is not a pandemic by anyone’s standards,” she said.
“Young people are not catching but they’re shutting our schools down. Every act of oppression is unjust and unwarranted.”
She said she believed the real numbers of people who agreed with the anti-lockdown were in the “thousands”, despite the lower turnout at the Shrine.
“Dan Andrews will probably use this as an excuse to extend the lockdown.”
Two men and a woman were arrested in chaotic scenes at a protest in Hyde Park on Saturday morning, with one man bleeding profusely from a head laceration.
The men, aged 44 and 54, allegedly assaulted police officers, while the woman was arrested for failing to comply with a move on direction. All three charged and granted bail to appear in court next month.
A 16-year-old boy was also issued with a youth caution for not complying with public health orders, while 19 other protesters were slapped with $1000 fines.
Meanwhile, an anti-lockdown protest at Byron Bay in the state’s north also turned violent, resulting nine arrests including a 34-year-old man who allegedly assaulted a senior constable.
Other “Freedom Day” rallies were slated for Brisbane, Hobart, Canberra, Perth, and Adelaide.