Chanting for 'freedom' and shouting of Fascism, a city's fringe erupts in anger - The Age

It was a mix of Melbourne's conspiracist fringe: several hundred of them, many waving placards or Australian flags, chanting for "freedom" and shouting about Fascism.

The young and old and even elderly, one of whom held court with an impassioned speech about a "COVID-19 scam", came out to demand an end to the city's stage four lockdown.

A protester throwing punches at a police officer.Credit:Justin McManus

Both sexes were represented, but Saturday's protest – beginning at the Shrine of Remembrance in a symbolic appropriation of the diggers – was driven by angry young and middle-aged men.

They were "the people", or so they shouted, although just a fraction of the tens of thousands the quasi-organisers had hoped to summon.

They hurled abuse at police and accused them of doing the evil bidding of "dictator Dan". One young man landed blows on an officer trying to arrest another demonstrator. He was marched away, clothes in tatters. There were few masks, and most were tucked underneath chins.

Police making an arrest after a scuffle with protestors.Credit:Justin McManus

Some declared we had to "save the children", the battle cry of conspiracy group QAnon, which holds that the rich and powerful, in cahoots with mainstream media and police, are running a global paedophile ring of industrial scale.

Before it was a roiling mass of anger, it was a trickle. And from the outset of the protests, about 10.30am, the orders from Victoria's top brass were clear: zero tolerance.

Police on horseback forcing protesters back from the Shrine of RemembranceCredit:Justin McManus

The first man to argue too long about not wearing his mask was handcuffed and led away.

Within minutes it was 10, then dozens. Official statistics from police stated there were 160 fines issues and 17 arrests. The Sunday Age saw at least 30 people apprehended or tackled to the ground in two hours of protest.

One woman at the Shrine yelled at a pile of uniforms struggling with something moving underneath: "That's my son!"

Another, on the cusp of arrest, shouted into her phone: "I'm in fear of my life. I am surrounded by police."

By 11.30am, at least 100 police were facing off with hundreds of protesters. They who were driven from the main square of the Shrine as officers shouted in deep unison, "move".

Police arrest a man and try to put a mask on him. He was the first of dozens to be marched away.Credit:Justin McManus

A small group, including a tiny dog yapping at officers' ankles and horses' hooves, attempted to link arms and hold their ground. The mounted unit bulldozed them away.

Someone suggested they march to Albert Park Lake and the call moved through the crowd. Police let them move unaccompanied along the path as they blared a freedom-themed playlist (John Farnham's Reasons, Pink Floyds Another Brick in the Wall) and chanted "Aussie! Aussie! Aussie!"

They turned left toward the city, only to be met by a wall of police on St Kilda Road. The group marched back to the lake. One man stripped to his underwear and jumped into the water.

A woman remonstrates with police.Credit:Justin McManus

Police had seen enough. A convoy of at least 30 vehicles including heavily armoured members of the riot squad followed the demonstrators to a grassy area beside the lake.

Some became surrounded. Most fled through the heavy traffic of Lakeside Drive. Police, now in the hundreds, exploded from the park by the lake in waves, forcing protesters back in all directions until they were dispersed shortly after 1pm.

By mid afternoon, Melbourne's streets were quiet again.

Protestors break through a police line at Albert Park.Credit:Justin McManus

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2020-09-05 09:02:00Z
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