I hope this doesn't escalate, but you can hardly blame the citizen for being frustrated.
Tensions between police and anti-lockdown protesters at the Shrine of Remembrance have boiled over, with punches thrown and bottles launched at frontline officers.Tensions boiled over at an anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne about 2.30pm.
A scuffle between the front line of the protest group and the police came head to head. Punches were thrown and plastic bottles were thrown at police.
Protesters have antagonised the force, yelling and swearing at the rank and file officers.
Flags being waved in the crowd include the Australian flag, the Australian Red Ensign flag, the Eureka flag, the American flag and the British flag.
Hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters had gathered at the Shrine, but the protest moved to Parliament House and then Princes Bridge.
Ugly scuffles have occurred between the police mounted brigade and the protest crowd on Princes Bridge.
One man has struck a police horse with the wooden pole of a flag.
At least two men have been arrested by police after ignoring police directions to move on.
There is no social distancing in the protest crowd and many are not wearing masks.
Some of the signs protesters arrested carrying include “media is the real virus”, “free Vic” and “Corona hoax 1984”.
A banner has been unfurled.
The lively crowd is chanting: “Sack Daniel Andrews” and “Freedom, Freedom”.
The crowd has been contained by a ring of police officers.
They are powerless to make arrests due to the sheer size of the crowd.
“Daniel Andrews is unworthy to lead our state,” a man on a microphone has told the crowd.
The group has been energised by recent easing of restrictions meaning protesting is no longer illegal in Victoria.
Under the current health guidelines, protesting is not unlawful, but gathering in groups of more than 10 is.
The offence attracts a $4952 fine.
A heavy police presence assembled at key locations including the Shrine of Remembrance and outside Parliament House by noon on Friday.
Police including the mounted brigade, public order response team and the air wing will surveil the protest, which began at 2pm.
It comes as signs hung off freeway bridges and moving billboards advertising the protest have been seen across Melbourne in recent days.
Victoria Police warned they would be out in force and would hold people to account.
“You must comply with the CHO guidelines,” Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said on Thursday.
“Anyone who turns up at the Shrine can expect to find police asking them, ‘who are you, where do you live’.”
When asked about if police would use discretion he said: “Police always have discretion but here is the thing, if we cut people slack, we have to take action in the name of the vast majority of Victorians who are doing the right thing. We owe it to the people who are doing the right thing.”
Mr Cornelius became a cult-figure in September when he coined protesters as “bats*** crazy” and the “tinfoil hat wearing brigade”.
The anti-lockdown group have communicated on encrypted messaging groups on Friday morning.
“This is the big one,” an ad for the protest said.
“Human rights matter. End the lockdown now. Dan must resign.”
Mr Andrews called on people to abandon the protest.
He said this was not the time to gather in groups with placards and that it was “very different” to people having picnics in groups of up to 10 from a maximum of two households.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/coronavirus/police-on-high-alert-ahead-of-antilockdown-protest-planned-for-the-shrine-of-remembrance/news-story/3ef55d135295f007f0ace7a63ab1a80a
