Allegations of police brutality as number of protesters arrested after Land Forces expo swells to 110

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/21/land-forces-expo-melbourne-pro-palestine-anti-war-protest-arrests

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Police Accountability Project says a number of charges had been withdrawn and raised questions about the response

Police say 110 people have now been arrested in relation to a violent protest in Melbourne, but questions remain about the force used by officers in quelling activists.

Victoria police waded through CCTV footage after the September protest outside the Land Forces expo, executing several search warrants in recent weeks.

In a statement, the force said that all 110 people arrested were either charged, expected to be charged on summons, or fined for their role in the protest.

But those charged include people who claim police were either heavy handed in their treatment during the protest or during their arrests weeks later, and lawyers representing some protesters say charges have already been withdrawn.

Several protesters were expected to face court on Thursday.

One person, who says they were involved in facilitating the protest but not actively involved in it, was charged with hindering police.

He is among several protesters represented by Inner Melbourne Community Legal Centre’s Police Accountability Project. He said he was complying with police move-on directions outside the expo when he was pushed by an officer with their shield and knocked to the ground.

“When attempting to stand up, he fell again taking one officer [down] with him,” the centre said in a statement.

“He was immediately restrained and received kicks and hit with police batons, then aggressively pinned faced down on the ground, with knees on the back causing severe pain.

“Police encircled him, isolating him from the rest of the crowd using capsicum spray used to secure the area. He was not provided with medical assistance.”

Police declined to comment on any incidents of alleged violence by its members.

A Police Accountability Project spokesperson said they remained concerned about the allegedly disproportionate police response to protesters at the expo, which they argued was reflected in the number of charges that had since been withdrawn.

“The numbers of arrests and subsequent withdrawals of criminal charges against protesters that we are seeing now is reflective of an alarming trend of the unfettered and improper use of police powers in protest,” they said.

“This will have significant consequences for the rights to protest and the rights to peaceful assembly.”

Melbourne Activist Legal Support said while it did not believe legal observers were arrested or charged, they claimed they had been “assaulted by police and also OC sprayed multiple times” during the protest.

According to a spreadsheet of injuries recorded by protesters, 131 people needed “decontamination” for OC spray.

A person reported having surgery on an ear after being shot at close range by a rubber bullet, someone reported a kidney injury after being struck with a baton, and multiple others attended hospital or health facilities.

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Police did not respond to specific questions about the expo and their conduct when making subsequent arrests. It is unclear if any officers are being investigated for their conduct in relation to activists.

“The behaviour witnessed outside the Land Forces Expo on 11 September was violent and completely unacceptable,” a police spokesperson said.

“Protesters threw rocks and projectiles and pushed crates against police horses which also had an acidic irritant sprayed towards them. Police were assaulted and eggs and liquid irritants hurled at expo attendees.

“Victoria police stands by the actions of its officers who showed exceptional professionalism.”

While 89 people were arrested on the day of the protest, concerns have also been raised about arrests that came later.

Jasmine Duff, the national convener of Students for Palestine, said she was handcuffed and five police officers came into her bedroom early in the morning earlier this month to charge her in relation to the protest.

“They insisted on staying in my room while I got dressed, and told my housemate it was ‘so she doesn’t jump out the window’,” she said.

“Police have put loads of resources into an operation to systematically target anti-war protesters … in an attempt to intimidate us out of future protests and to paint a public image that those who protest for Palestine are dangerous criminals.”

Jack Gardner, 24, said he was woken up at 7am with three police officers standing in his room, who then handcuffed him while other police searched for clothes he wore at the protest.

“For the police to send a full armed squad to arrest a university student over an anti-war protest is pretty extreme, and it’s deeply political,” he said.

Dylan, another protester, said a dozen officers attended his home on a public holiday and he was only charged with two counts of obstructing police for his actions during the protest.