Mask-dodging woman allegedly smashed female cop's head into concrete - The Age

A young policewoman who was enforcing coronavirus restrictions in Melbourne's south-east has allegedly had her head repeatedly smashed into concrete paving during a confrontation with a woman who wasn't wearing a mask.

This 26-year-old constable was allegedly attacked after questioning someone who wasn't wearing a mask. Credit:Police Association of Victoria

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said the alleged attack happened on Monday night near the Bayside shopping centre in Frankston.

A 26-year-old constable was on patrol with another officer when they approached a 38-year-old woman who wasn't wearing a mask shortly after 5pm.

"After a confrontation and being assaulted by that woman, those police officers went to ground and there was a scuffle," said Mr Patton.

"During that scuffle, this 38-year-old woman smashed the head of the policewoman several times into a concrete area on the ground."

"That behaviour is just totally unacceptable. That's someone who thinks they're above the law. They're not wearing a mask. They're approached and asked the reason why not and then to react like that is just completely over the top."

Premier Daniel Andrews described the alleged Frankston attack as a "shameful incident".

A police source told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald that some of the policewoman's hair was ripped out during the incident and she was concussed.

A police spokeswoman said the officer received significant head injuries and was taken to Frankston Hospital for assessment and medical treatment.

She was recovering at home on Tuesday.

The other female police officer was pushed and also allegedly assaulted.

The 38-year-old woman was charged with nine offences, including two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and recklessly causing injury.

She was also fined $200 for breaching coronavirus restrictions by not wearing a face mask or covering. She was released on bail and will face court in March next year.

"That woman was taken back to the police station, charged with significant offences and bailed due to no criminal history. It shows how things can escalate," Mr Patton said.

Mr Andrews said the alleged behaviour was "disgusting, appalling ... and simply intolerable", as he thanked police officers for doing their jobs in trying circumstances.

"These matters will be before the courts and I don't want to cut across that but that behaviour is nothing short of fundamentally disgusting and police are out there putting themselves in harm's way," he said.

"They run towards the danger when the rest of us wouldn't and if you behave that way that's just appalling, absolutely appalling.

"There are provisions in place to deal with people who think police can be treated that way. They are wrong to think that and they will be treated harshly.

"Wear a mask for heaven's sake," he said.

Police issued 161 fines on Monday, of which 60 were to people not wearing masks.

Mr Patton said in the past week, police have seen the emergence of small groups of people calling themselves "sovereign citizens" who don't believe the law applies to them.

"We've seen them at checkpoints baiting police, not providing a name and address," he said.

"On at least three or four occasions in the last week, we've had to smash the windows of cars and pull people out to provide details because they weren't telling us where they were going, they weren't adhering to the Chief Health Officer guidelines, they weren't providing their name and address."

The number of police officers and protective services officers involved in Operation Sentinel has increased to 750. They've been assigned the task of ensuring the community is doing the right thing and complying with directions.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said a small number of people were knowingly doing the wrong thing.

"It's ridiculous. It's unacceptable. And it is dangerous. That's why we've put in place extraordinary powers," she said.

She said they had fined dozens of people who didn't abide by the curfew.

"Somebody who decided they were bored and they were going to go out for a drive, somebody who decided that they needed to buy a car after 8pm last night and drive across the city of Melbourne," she said.

"We've also seen people who have picked up people from other households, again breaching the direction and then also breaching the curfew. All of those people were infringed last night."

Other people fined on Monday for breaching restrictions included:

• An Apollo Bay man who was intercepted in the Macedon Ranges on his way to Mildura to stay in a motel and visit a friend.
• A man who was at some shops in Bendigo and refused to put his mask on because he was on FaceTime with his friend. He said if he had a mask on, his friend would not be able to see him properly.
• A Sydenham man who was intercepted in Broadmeadows after curfew trying to find a bottle shop that was open.
• A man who was intercepted at 3.20am on his way to a fast food outlet in Casey.
• Three men from different addresses travelling in the same car who had just returned from a fast food outlet when they were pulled over in Roxburgh Park after curfew.

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2020-08-04 03:11:00Z
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