December 26, 2024

Protesters and police are gearing up for a final day of action outside the arms expo in central Melbourne that has sparked violent clashes this week.

Dozens of people were arrested and multiple police officers injured in heated confrontations outside the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday.

Accusations of causing the violence have been traded by both sides, with police alleging some protesters came armed and attacked officers with everything from bottles to faeces.

READ MORE: Stolen car smashes through front wall of Melbourne house

Protesters, meanwhile, claim the police started the violence by attacking the crowd and used excessive force.

Officers were observed using capsicum spray and non-lethal rounds on some protesters.

The follow-up protests yesterday were much more peaceful.

Police arrested five people, making use of expanded search powers to find some attendees had brought bags of small rocks and marbles.

READ MORE: Parents’ screen time has negative effects on kids, even if they’re not watching

The marbles, police claim, could have been rolled under the hooves of police horses to unsettle them.

An expanded exclusion zone has been set up around the convention centre again today, to prevent protesters approaching.

The expo will end after today.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

links to content on ABC

9News 

Read More 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *