Midsumma Pride festival: Outrageous moment cops marching in a gay pride rally are attacked with paint bombs and abused

Shocking footage has captured the moment protesters at a gay pride festival clashed with police who hurled insults and paint bombs at them.

About 100 Victoria Police officers took part in the Midsumma Pride festival in St Kilda, Melbourne on Sunday.

Shortly after the officers began marching, some with their children, they were “confronted” by up to fifty demonstrators.

“The protesters surrounded the Victoria Police contingent on three sides in an attempt to prevent members from marching,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

The protesters became violent and threw objects at police, including paint bombs.

Tensions were high as several officers pushed and shoved protesters blocking their path. You heard a protester shout: ‘F**k you, you don’t deserve to be here.’

The protest group was seen holding a banner reading ‘No Pride in Prisons, VicPol + Serco, Queers Hate You’.

Tensions were high as several officers pushed and shoved protesters blocking their path.

You heard a protester shout: ‘F**k you, you don’t deserve to be here.’

The Public Order Response Team intervened to help clear the unruly crowd, and one protester, a 34-year-old man, was arrested for assaulting a spectator.

He was released pending further investigation.

Victoria Police will review the footage to see if further action is necessary.

“Victoria Police are disappointed that there was a small group of people who wanted to disrupt a proud and inclusive day,” a spokesperson said.

“The protesters, not acting in the spirit of the event, chose to confront unarmed members of Victoria Police.”

Victoria Police said many of their marching officers are proud to be from the LGBTQIA+ community.

It was the 22nd year that uniformed police officers have marched to the event to help promote “inclusivity, culture, respect and pride.”

Midsumma Pride is a peaceful event and this year marked the 22nd year that police officers have worn their uniforms during the march (photo artist Kitty Obsidian dancing and singing on stage during the festivities)

The marchers included not only sworn officers, but also members of the Pipe Band, civil servants and protective service officers.

“(It) should be a celebration and not a celebration of hate. “We are proud of our members who were able to complete the march in a hostile environment,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.

Protester Nevo Zisin, who uses these pronouns, told the story ABC the group had nothing violent planned.

“It was literally our intention to just walk in front of them to raise awareness that we have defunded the police in Midsumma,” they said.

“It was quite a surprising escalation.”

The protester said police tore up banners, pushed protesters and threw punches.

Police Chief Shane Patton denounced the ‘abhorrent’ actions of the demonstrators.

“We were gradually subjected to threats calling us murderers,” he said.

“Paint was thrown at police, paint bombs were thrown at police, landing on police officers.

‘You don’t do that if you’re on the street at that moment. If you do that, you do it with premeditation.’