The People's Voice By Niamh Harris
A woman, believed to be in her 70s, was attacked by Melbourne police and pepper-sprayed while she was on the ground during Saturdays anti lockdown protest .
The woman was standing on the road holding an Australian flag as a group of police approached.
One officer pushed her to the ground. Another officer then pepper-sprayed her as she lay motionless and unable to protect herself.
Melbourne police were also caught on camera pepper-spraying dozens of other Australians who were involved with the “unauthorized protest.”
RT reports: Seconds after the attack – with the offending officers having already moved on – another group of police officers came to the woman’s aid and attempted to help her up.
Videos of the attack from multiple angles went viral on social media this weekend, with many Australians accusing the Melbourne officers of police brutality.
How Australia plans on beating COVID??
pic.twitter.com/sZMZN9ePti— Aaron Ginn (@aginnt) September 18, 2021
Well done, @VictoriaPolice. Pushing over a 70 year old woman, who posed no physical threat, and spraying her in the face after she hit her head on the ground.
This is how a police force becomes delegitimised #COVID19aus #Melbourneprotest pic.twitter.com/HBm4H6KXYx
— Charles Haig (@charles_haig01) September 18, 2021
Got her. pic.twitter.com/Liu7GcD0ME
— Evelyn Rae (@_evelynrae) September 18, 2021
Australian MP Craig Kelly called the attack “despicable,” “disgusting,” and “ILLEGAL,” and tweeted, “This is not my Australia… We cannot accept Police in Australia pushing to the ground an unarmed 70 yr old woman (or anyone) who presents no threat & then have 2 officers pepper spray the unarmed, defenseless person in the face while on the ground.”
Former New South Wales Senator David Leyonhjelm also condemned the attack, calling the officers “gutless,” while journalist Ky Chow wrote, “I’ve watched several videos of this, and it’s hard to see how the Vic cops defend this.”
