Let them be. They will get bored and head home eventually. I’m surprised their attention span has lasted this long.
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I saw someone throw a can at a reporters head. These have been violent and completely unacceptable. They need prison time for this.
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Sorry, just to clarify, I was referring to what I am seeing currently on Channel 9’s livecam. There was definitely violence earlier, like what we saw with Paul Dowsley getting attacked and protesters throwing bottles at police, but they’ve quietened down since re-entering the CBD.
At this stage, it looks like they might be heading back to their cars.
Plenty of footage to pick faces, and those kicking/damaging police cars might regret that.
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Andrews has issued a statement
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So true. Our healthcare workers are exhausted and it must feel like a massive kick in the guts to see these demonstrations.
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Lisa Fitzpatrick, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (Victorian Branch) secretary has also released a statement condemning today’s protests.
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Police definitely not in control today. I’d imagine some serious planning happening at the moment. I’d say we won’t see them all together in one spot. Expect clusters scattered across the city.
This is really scaring me. I have so much respect for our wonderful police who have to deal with situations like this.
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Get Gina Liano onto these people.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CUC7CWtJ9xR/?utm_medium=copy_link
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These selfish pricks will make our lockdown get extended and COVID cases surge and they will be the first ones to complain.
Also I hope they don’t ask for government handouts. They don’t deserve them if they are protesting violently and refusing to get vaccinated. Illegally and purposely going against health orders
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No your not harsh at all. We are all staying home doing the right thing and these idiots ruin it for the rest of us and also may I add, ruin the reputation of tradies
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Seeing those protests today on TV made me shocked a bit, even though I am in NSW. This makes me worried that we may have a similar incident here and I have good faith in the NSW Police Force in case it happens. On behalf of NSW I am sorry about our state being partly responsible for these protests due to the failures of the Berejiklian Government with the early days of the outbreak which caused lockdowns in every mainland state and territory in Australia and New Zealand
Those tradies if they go into Hospital for COVID, should be forced to pay for their Hospitalisation out of their own pocket rather than use Medicare. Plus next time, Vicpol needs and will according to @FootyKick go even harder on them.
We can’t live in a life of what ifs. Would’ve been good for NSW to not leak COVID into other states but it happened and we can’t keep living in the past as it won’t do anything good…
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Are they planning for tomorrow too? I hope not…
Yes they are. For that reason I’m not going on social media or putting on tv/radio
Another worry today from the Westgate Bridge being at a standstill was if emergency services had to cross the bridge and obviously would’ve been held up. Very concerning if someone was in the back of an ambulance needing urgent care and was delayed getting to hospital because of these protesters.
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I’m sure it won’t be but hopefully the cops’ tactic tomorrow is to just not give them the fight they want.
This is an absolute mess to untangle - because you’ve got so many divergent angry groups trying to make the legitimate anger of some into pushing their personal hobby horse.
As always, pay people to stay home. If you’ve just told people in the middle of the night, no shifts for the next two weeks - and that maybe you could apply for a covid-disaster payment for a fraction of your normal income - you’re going to be pissed off. If they tell you “but you’ll still be paid in full, and here’s a priority lane for vaccination - do it in these 2 weeks, enjoy your holiday” you’re going to be a lot less agitated.
One of the biggest things I think the premier did wrong so far here was to not just embrace the streets as a lunch room - treat it like the outdoor dining spaces - block off the parking lanes, set up the tables and chairs for them. If it wasn’t for blocking traffic, literally nothing was wrong.
But instead you just get a face off with police, and then that fed into some of the anger leveraged into some of today’s scenes. The fact there was a blurry line between some genuine grievances among union workers, and right wingers just out for a punch on, means the wider “protest” gathered far more steam - though the overhead shots showing it was a few hundred people at most at times really helps contextualise.
There’s only a fraction of actual trade union members among these crowds, and like with the previous so-called anti-lockdown protests, I’m sure there’s some amongst these crowds that thought “oh, we’re just going to protest the shutdown” - hopefully those people saw what unfolded today and aren’t back tomorrow.
The other thought I’ll leave with is this great meme.
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