In short:
There have been clashes between police and a large group of protesters outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre where a major defence and weapons expo is being held.
Hundreds of officers have been called in for what Victoria Police say is their biggest operation since the S11 protests outside the World Economic Forum in Melbourne 24 years ago.
What’s next?
Police and protesters are expected to remain on scene in large numbers throughout the conference.
Live updates here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-11/live-blog-land-forces-protest-melbourne-israel-gaza/104333922
Capsicum spray, rubber bullets and tear gas have been used on parts of the crowd.
[Premier Jacinta Allan] also defended the state government’s sponsorship of the Land Forces conference, and said delegates attending the event had the right to gather.
“Any industry deserves the right to have these sort of events in a peaceful and respectful way.”
When your industry is undeniably dedicated to murder and maim, you don’t deserve peace (or, for that matter, respect).
Rubber bullets are especially concerning. Many of us saw the damage they did to journalists and protestors who were shot with them in the US protests by police a few years ago.
I’ve had friends in hospital today because of the fucking pigs. Every damn time, they’re defending the worst people on earth and assaulting the best
Was in a cab after getting car in for service. Old mate was listening to 2gb and holy fucking shit were they beating up on the protests and saying vile racist shit.
“There’s nothing but disrespect being shown from some protesters who want to behave like idiots and police will deal with you,” he said.
our police minister, everyone.
PSA: respect has to be earned. An industry that arms crimes against humanity and genocide does not deserve respect.
The vic govt is funding this arms expo.
A lot of anti-protest rhetoric from the goverment here. Protesting is a fundamental democratic right.
Emphasis on some protestors. Idiot protestors, of which there were clearly some (I’ve seen footage of a man attempting to hit a horse in the head, people throwing objects at officers and charging at them), should always be dealt with by police. There is a give and take to this stuff. Yes, we have a right to protest but it does not happen in a vacuum and our behaviour as protestors can and does influence future police behaviour and government legislation. If you give them a reason to crackdown on you, they will. Unfortunately what we have seen in the algorithmic social media age, and particularly since COVID, is a rise in a completely unhinged and deranged individuals who live in some fictional reality attending these events and negatively impacting public protest for everyone else. That’s when you start getting over-policing of events that would otherwise be genuinely safe and peaceful.
It’s really not appropriate for a politician, the police minister to boot, to be calling anyone an ‘idiot’ in the same breath as demanding respect for the police. It’s the sort of language I’d accept from a truck driver, not from a top politician.
He is setting the tone of the discussion in an extremely problematic way by dehumanising/othering those desparately trying to stop lethal weapons sales used in crimes against humanity, while he normalises the gathering of war profiteers.
I’m extremely disappainted by this government’s policing policy.
dehumanising/othering those desparately trying to stop lethal weapons sales used in crimes against humanity
No, he othered the protestors who are assaulting the police and random people trying to walk past (in 7:30’s coverage last night you can clearly hear a guy say “I live just up the road” as protestors attack him for the crime of being slightly dressed up). Most sane individuals in our society would agree that those people are idiots who deserve to be called out. Defending them and their behaviour because you think it contributes to a greater good is not a good lock.
Protesting is a fundamental democratic right
Peaceful protesting, sure. A lot of what we saw today was far from that.
Sure, thats why the police shouldn’t be there, they only ever escalate, antognise and make it worse.
