Six police officers were rushed to hospital and more than 200 people arrested as an anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne turned violent, with pellets and pepper spray fired to subdue a crowd of thousands.
Police say 218 people were arrested and six officers were hospitalised after today’s violent anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said more than 4,000 people attended the protest.
Thousands of demonstrators were seen breaking police lines near Parliament House in Spring Street, where the demonstration started.
Violence erupted as mostly unmasked demonstrators moved through the CBD towards Flinders Street station, letting off flares and chanting slogans.
The most violent scenes were seen at Flinders Street, with protesters throwing objects at police, who responded with pepper spray.
Meanwhile NSW Police also made dozens of arrests and issued more than 250 fines to people breaching the state’s COVID-19 public health orders on Saturday, after a crackdown on anti-lockdown protesters in central Sydney.
The demonstration was thwarted before it began after more than 1,500 police officers made their presence felt across the city throughout the morning.
Police said they had issued 261 fines, and made 47 arrests for COVID-19 breaches around NSW on Saturday, most of which were connected with the protest.
