A protest that saw rocks thrown at police was an aberration, Premier Jacinta Allan has suggested, while maintaining the city is safe.
Allan rejected calls for a protest permit system and defended the right to protest peacefully, saying Sunday’s incident should not be conflated with demonstrations that have become a constant weekend presence.
“We’ve all had enough of some, a smaller number of people, who are choosing to bring violence to our streets,” she said on Monday morning.
The premier said the protests saw a “different pattern of behaviour” than the regular demonstrations, and it would be misleading to suggest the CBD in general was unsafe, labelling the behaviour as sickening and horrific.
On Sunday, furious police accused dozens of counter-demonstrators from left-wing groups of instigating the violence and throwing rocks at officers during an hours-long effort to separate about 1000 of them from a similarly sized group of anti-immigration protesters.
Anti-racism rally organisers have refused to condemn the violence while accusing police of injuring their demonstrators and facilitating “racist” anti-immigration protests.
Police form a line between opposing groups of protesters in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday.Credit: Paul Jeffers
The police union is calling on the Victorian government to introduce a NSW-like permit system to regulate protests and protect police after officers were hospitalised in skirmishes with protesters in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday.
One sergeant was taken to hospital with a suspected broken hand after being kicked by protesters, and a senior constable suffered a gash to his leg. Three others were hit by rocks.
The Police Association of Victoria’s chief executive Wayne Gatt said officers would continue to be hurt as long as there was a “completely unregulated protest environment” in the state and a permit system was needed.
“That [a permit system] has always been our recommendation. It is one that has been rejected by the government,” Gatt told 3AW.
“We’re locked in this argument about human rights, and everybody’s got rights across the protests, and we agree. [But] the only people that didn’t have rights over the weekend were the people dressed in blue uniforms. That’s as I see it.”
Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said previously that he did not support a push for a permit system in Victoria.
On Monday, Allan said police had the tools and resources they needed to deal with the protesters, and the government would introduce additional legislation to parliament in the coming weeks to ban face coverings.
Victoria Police Association secretary Wayne GattCredit: Paul Jeffers
Allan dismissed the effectiveness of a permit system, pointing to ongoing protests in Sydney as evidence that they do not deter demonstrators.
“I will repeat that yes, Melbourne’s CBD is safe. And I think it would be wrong and misleading to conflate the behaviour of a very small number of people who came to the city to bring violence, and they were dealt with swiftly by Victoria police,” she said.
In NSW, protest organisers are required to provide written notice to the police commissioner of their intention to hold a rally, which, if approved, can grant them protection from certain offences.
Gatt said his NSW counterpart was shocked the Victorian government was opposed to a permit system.
Commander Wayne Cheesman tips out a box of rocks that were hurled at officers.Credit: Victoria Police
In a statement on Sunday night, opposition police spokesman David Southwick said if the Coalition was elected, it would introduce a protest registration system to ensure they don’t get out of control.
“This was a disgraceful attack on our police officers. Being pelted with rocks and bottles isn’t free speech, it’s criminal violence,” Southwick said.
“The premier promised tougher protest laws, but [Premier] Jacinta Allan’s failure to act is fuelling division and hate. It’s time she stood up for law and order and backed the police who keep us safe.”
Allan said people have a right to protest, but also “an obligation to do it peacefully”.
Victoria Police Commander Wayne Cheesman was irate in describing the attacks on officers by protesters. “Melbourne has had a gutful,” he said.
Holding up a large rock, which he said had been thrown at police, Cheesman said: “It appals me, really. This could kill someone, that’s the bottom line.”
“I show you the rocks because I think the public needs to see what the police are being targeted with,” he said.
However, rally organisers disputed the Cheesman’s account and claimed protesters were hospitalised due to the “violent acts of Victoria Police”.
“Police deployed violence which injured activists, with nearly five hospitalised. Police denied thousands the right to protest, while facilitating the racist, hateful demonstration March for Australia, exercising white sovereignty to defend a white Australia ideology,” they wrote on social media.
Counter rally organiser Anneke Demanuele refused to condemn demonstrators who threw rocks, accusing police of using a press conference to attack activists on the left.
“I’m not condemning anything. The better question to be asked is why did a police commander go out of his way to praise fascists, racist protesters,” she told 3AW.
Some March for Australia demonstrators were heard chanting racist slogans, including “white man fight back”, and were seen rushing to confront counter-protesters.
The Age identified several members of the neo-nazi group National Socialist Network in the anti-immigration crowd, wearing plain clothes.
On Monday morning, Police Minister Anthony Carbines said protesters intent on causing violence had to be dealt with by police “in as strong as possible terms” and defended the force’s actions, including the use of pepper spray and rubber bullets.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.
Most Viewed in National
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
