Two individuals were apprehended outside the parliamentary building of Victoria, Australia, in Melbourne following a women’s rights demonstration that escalated into violence. This transpired during the #WomenWillSpeak rally held outside Parliament House on Saturday afternoon.
The #WomenWillSpeak rally faced opposition from pro-trans rights activists, leading to a confrontation that required significant police presence to maintain order. Reports indicated that approximately 100 individuals participated in the rally, with incidents of physical altercations occurring. An Australian tabloid, the Herald Sun, reported that one of its photographers sustained injuries and was pepper-sprayed during a scuffle. Video footage circulated on social media depicted law enforcement officers subduing at least two protesters before resorting to the use of OC spray. The Victoria Police confirmed the arrest of two women in their twenties, who are anticipated to face charges.
In an official statement, the police expressed disappointment with the conduct of numerous rally attendees, highlighting instances of hostility towards law enforcement personnel. The decision to use pepper spray was attributed to confrontations with aggressive individuals attempting to breach the police line. Authorities are reviewing rally footage to identify any additional instances of misconduct.
Concerns were raised by Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS) regarding the police’s handling of the situation. MALS criticized what they perceived as hazardous crowd control methods, including the deployment of OC spray and police horses in densely populated areas. Sam Mills, a legal observer from MALS, warned of the potential dangers associated with controlling horses in crowded environments, advocating for the immediate prohibition of such practices.
MALS also cited previous instances of biased and discriminatory policing at women’s rights demonstrations, recalling an event featuring British activist Kellie-Jay Keen, where neo-Nazis disrupted the protest by performing the Sieg Heil salute on the parliamentary steps.
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