A group of protesters were filmed throwing horse droppings at police officers as they tried to control a record crowd.
Victorian police officials expected about 25,000 people to attend an anti-war march in Melbourne ahead of the Land Forces Defence Exhibition this week.
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley criticised the planned action, saying those involved “need to get a job”.
“My thoughts are with law enforcement, who are being distracted by these huge numbers and by our police and the people who keep us safe from all the things they should be doing to tackle this kind of nonsense,” he told The Guardian.
“These people need to get a job… I support our defence industries every day of the week and I know Australians hugely, absolutely, do too.”
The exhibition will run from Wednesday to Friday, but some protesters began gathering outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre last Saturday.
Police officers have been brought in from New South Wales to help deal with what is expected to be the city’s largest protest in decades.
Early in the morning, the group moved from the convention center, where police had arrived in large numbers, to a major intersection in an attempt to block it, while mounted police tried to drive them away.
Anti-war protesters outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre were filmed throwing horse droppings at mounted police.
Officers were seen with feces stuck to their helmets and uniforms as they attempted to control the crowd.
Footage emerged of protesters surrounding a police horse, with one person seen holding onto its reins as an officer sat on top of the animal.
Another disturbing video shows protesters throwing what appeared to be horse droppings at a group of mounted police officers.
Officers were seen with feces stuck to their helmets and uniforms as they attempted to control the crowd; some officers used capsicum spray.
Victoria Police were given “special powers” under the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act in the area surrounding the exhibition centre until 11.59pm on September 15.
Under the powers that be, it is an offence to obstruct a search or fail to comply with an order to remove a face covering.
“This is expected to be our biggest operation since the World Economic Forum in 2000,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.
‘A number of police officers will be stationed at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to ensure the highest level of security throughout the event.
‘This includes hundreds of regional police officers who will travel to Melbourne for the event, in addition to general duty metropolitan police and specialist police including the Public Order Response Team, Highway Patrol and Mounted Brigade.’
More to come.
