‘Largest protest in decades’ rocks Melbourne as anti-war protesters fling horse faeces at cops demonstrating against Land Forces conference – as politician hits out ‘get a job’
A group of protesters were filmed throwing horse manure at police officers in an attempt to control the record crowd.
Victoria Police officers expected up to 25,000 people to attend an anti-war demonstration in Melbourne this week ahead of the Land Forces Defence Expo.
Sussan Ley, deputy opposition leader, strongly criticised the planned action and said those involved “should be given jobs”.
“I think about law enforcement, who are faced with such huge numbers. Our police and the people who keep us safe are being diverted from their actual work to deal with this kind of nonsense,” she told The Guardian.
“These people need to get a job… I support our defence industry every day of the week and I’m sure Australians do too.”
The expo runs from Wednesday to Friday, but last Saturday several protesters gathered outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Police officers have been drafted in from New South Wales to assist with what is expected to be the largest protest in the city in decades.
Early in the morning, the group left the convention center, where there was a massive police presence, and headed for a major intersection. They tried to block the intersection, while mounted police tried to push them away.
Anti-war protesters outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre were filmed throwing horse dung at mounted police
Officers were seen with feces stuck to their helmets and uniforms as they attempted to control the crowd
Footage emerged of protesters surrounding a police horse, with one person grabbing the reins as an officer sat on top of the animal.
Another disturbing video shows protesters throwing things that appear to be horse manure at a group of mounted police officers.
Officers were seen with feces on their helmets and uniforms as they tried to control the crowd, with some even using capsicum spray.
Victoria Police were given ‘special powers’ under the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act in the area around the exhibition centre until 11.59pm on September 15.
Under the powers, it is a criminal offence to obstruct a search of a home or to fail to comply with an order to remove a face covering.
“This is expected to be our largest operation since the World Economic Forum in 2000,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.
‘There will be a number of police officers present at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to ensure the highest level of safety and security during the event.
‘This includes hundreds of regional police officers who will travel to Melbourne for the event, alongside general metropolitan police and specialist police including the Public Order Response Team, Highway Patrol and the Mounted Branch.’
More coming soon.