Vic police use excessive force against anti-war, Palestine solidarity protesters outside weapons expo

September 12, 2024
Issue 
Victorian Police deployed excessive force against protesters. Photo: Jordan AK

Excessive police violence against some 1500 anti-war and Palestine solidarity activists protesting a Labor government-sponsored weapons expo at the Melbourne Convention Centre on September 11 has been condemned by activists and organisations.

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Photo: Alex Bainbridge

The spectacle of police defending a three-day multi-million-dollar weapons expo 鈥 which hit headlines across the globe 鈥 highlighted the hypocrisy of those inside talking about 鈥減eace鈥 and 鈥渟ecurity鈥.

It was the first time protesters can remember being attacked with a 鈥渇lash bang鈥 鈥 a stun聽grenade聽that produces a blinding聽flash聽of light and an extremely loud bang.

With more than 1800 Victorian police deployed, along with a riot squad from NSW, the outcome was always going to be predetermined.

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Outside Land Forces weapons expo. Photo: Jacob Andrewartha

Land Forces billed itself as a聽premier platform for defense, industry and government: it is platforming some of the biggest weapons makers in the world, including Israeli-owned Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Hanwha.

Protesters mobilised for the because they oppose war profiteers promoting killing machines 鈥 some of which are being used by Israel, with the support of the West, in a live genocide in Gaza.

The picket around the Convention Centre on September 11 was led by Wage Peace and Students for Palestine, and supported by a聽.

Nasser Mashni, Australian Palestine Advocacy Network President, told 麻豆传媒 it was an 鈥渙utrage鈥 that millions of dollars were spent on hosting the weapons expo while a cost-of-living crisis grips the country and there is a 鈥渓ive, digital, genocide [in Gaza]鈥.

Victorian Labor allocated more than $15 million to聽.听滨迟蝉 gave police extraordinary powers to search people and force them to leave designated exclusionary zones.聽

Protesters were attacked by police using pepper spray, rubber bullets, flash bangs, tear gas and OC pellets (a special type of rubber pellet grenade). More than 42 people were arrested,

Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) said their team of 20 independent legal observers witnessed 鈥渕ultiple incidents of excessive use of force by police鈥.

MALS said the behaviour of some individuals 鈥 in most circumstances after and in response to聽a coercive crowd control manoeuvre by the police or the use of weapons 鈥 鈥渄oes not justify excessive force against others nor the use of force against entire crowds鈥.

MALS is examining evidence to determine infringements under international civil and political covenants, the Victorian Police Manual, and the Summary Offences Act (Vic).

A healthcare worker told GL that she treated several protesters for injuries caused by pepper spray and that the police response was absolutely 鈥済rotesque鈥 and 鈥渉orrifying鈥.

[Jacob Andrewartha is a national co-convenor of .]

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no more war
No more war. Photo: Jordan AK

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