Anti-lockdown protesters march from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House in Melbourne accompanied by a large police presence. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
There was “chaos” on the streets of Melbourne overnight, just hours before the city entered its fifth lockdown, as angry protesters marched through the CBD.
Demonstrators called for an end to restrictions just hours after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the state would enter a five-day snap lockdown from midnight.
“We’ve got to do this, otherwise it will get away with us and we, as more than any other part of our nation know, we don’t want this getting away from us and being locked down for months,” Mr Andrews said.
“We want to deal with this with a short, sharp, lockdown, decisive action, not waiting, not dawdling, now is our time.”
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Currently the state has 18 cases while at least 6500 residents have been forced into isolation as close contacts, with the state’s Department of Health announced new exposure sites overnight.
Maskless protesters display their anger
Protesters filled Melbourne’s CBD from around 7pm to oppose the snap lockdown, in a city that has seen its fair share of Covid restrictions.
Signs read, “I have a choice” and “lockdown kills”, with many demonstrators not wearing face masks.
Reporter for 7 News Estelle Griepink posted footage of protesters chanting, “Sack Dan Andrews,” on the steps of Flinders Street Station while some commuters “walked past shaking their heads”. They marched from Flinders Street Station to Parliament House chanting “freedom” accompanied by a large police presence.
“We’ve spoken to plenty of people today who say they are frustrated but understand these measures are necessary,” Griepink said.
Actress Nicola Charles, known for her role as Sarah Beaumont in TV show Neighbours, also hailed the protests.
One protester on social media described lockdowns as “human rights abuses” and called it a “great turnout”, bragging there were a “couple thousand people here”, claiming they were “just regular everyday people who have had enough.
“I’ve got friends who are really frustrated and on the verge of their businesses going a really bad way.
“As it stands at the moment so many people have lost their businesses, their homes, their families ripped apart.
“We pay the price.”
In more footage, one speaker was heard yelling: “Here we go again. Once again, Daniel Andrews has jumped at his own shadow and thrown millions of people’s lives into chaos because he has no faith in his own contact tracers and no faith in our healthcare system. That’s the only possible explanation.”
Victoria Police told news.com.au no arrests or fines were issued. A flare that was lit during the protests was still being investigated with police saying they were “yet” to identify the person responsible for lighting it.
“There was a protest at Flinders Street about 7pm this evening,” a spokesperson said.
“Protesters gave speeches and marched to parliament.
“A flare was lit while the group moved from Flinders Street to parliament.
“Police are yet to identify who was responsible.
“There were no arrests.”
Police lined up outside Parliament House in Melbourne as anti-lockdown protesters marched there. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
There was a large police presence at the demonstration. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
Many in the crowd of protesters didn’t wear masks. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
Snap lockdown to contain Delta cluster
Victorians will only be allowed to leave home for a few reasons, with Mr Andrews defending his decision to lock the state down, saying they must “go hard” in order to contain the highly infectious Delta variant.
“You only get one chance to go hard and go fast. If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier,” he said.
“I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five-week or a five-month lockdown.
“That is why we are making this very difficult decision and why I know Victorians will, despite the pain and difficulty of this, know and understand there is no option.”
Protesters took to the streets hours before the lockdown rules came into place. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
No arrests were made during the march. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
This is Melbourne’s fifth lockdown as residents suffer pandemic fatigue. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
Police donned masks and gloves while many protesters ignored mask directives. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
Police stood in front of parliament as protesters displayed their anger at the snap lockdown. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
Many took to the streets at the announcement by Dan Andrews of the five-day lockdown. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia
The lockdown is to try to contain an outbreak of the Delta variant of Covid. Picture: Tony GoughSource:News Corp Australia