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| Coburg clashes: police minister calls for mask ban at protests | Coburg clashes: police minister calls for mask ban at protests |
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| The Victorian government has called for masks to be banned at protests after a series of violent clashes between far-left and far-right groups marred a planned peaceful anti-racism rally in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg on Saturday. | The Victorian government has called for masks to be banned at protests after a series of violent clashes between far-left and far-right groups marred a planned peaceful anti-racism rally in the Melbourne suburb of Coburg on Saturday. |
| Speaking on ABC radio on Monday, the state’s police minister, Lisa Neville, said masked groups at protests were “a really disturbing trend that we’ve seen over the last few rallies” and “says to me, people not there to peacefully protest but to incite hatred”. | Speaking on ABC radio on Monday, the state’s police minister, Lisa Neville, said masked groups at protests were “a really disturbing trend that we’ve seen over the last few rallies” and “says to me, people not there to peacefully protest but to incite hatred”. |
| It also prevented police from being able to identify people from video footage of the protests, which hampered further investigations. | It also prevented police from being able to identify people from video footage of the protests, which hampered further investigations. |
| Neville said she would discuss potentially banning masks and flagpoles from protests in a meeting with the chief commissioner of Victoria police, Graham Ashton. | Neville said she would discuss potentially banning masks and flagpoles from protests in a meeting with the chief commissioner of Victoria police, Graham Ashton. |
| Related: Melbourne protests: seven arrested as clashes erupt between opposing rallies | Related: Melbourne protests: seven arrested as clashes erupt between opposing rallies |
| A number of members of both sides involved in Saturday’s violence – the anti-Islamic groups United Patriot’s Front and True Blue Crew, and the anti-fascist group Antifa – wore either full masks or lower-face coverings, with the only outward difference being Australian flag prints on the right, and the odd Guy Fawkes mask on the left. | A number of members of both sides involved in Saturday’s violence – the anti-Islamic groups United Patriot’s Front and True Blue Crew, and the anti-fascist group Antifa – wore either full masks or lower-face coverings, with the only outward difference being Australian flag prints on the right, and the odd Guy Fawkes mask on the left. |
| Members of the anti-Islamic groups also carried flags and, when members of both groups slipped around police for a brawl, used their poles as a weapon, prompting police to call for an examination of whether the flagpoles should also be banned. | Members of the anti-Islamic groups also carried flags and, when members of both groups slipped around police for a brawl, used their poles as a weapon, prompting police to call for an examination of whether the flagpoles should also be banned. |
| The groups converged on Coburg in response to the Moreland Say No to Racism Rally, a peaceful community protest which went ahead without incident. | The groups converged on Coburg in response to the Moreland Say No to Racism Rally, a peaceful community protest which went ahead without incident. |
| That rally, organised by the Moreland councillor Sue Bolton, had been planned for months and had council approval. | That rally, organised by the Moreland councillor Sue Bolton, had been planned for months and had council approval. |
| It also had the support of Antifa, the banner name for a collection of anarchists, socialists and communists, some of whom have clashed with protesters organised by the United Patriots Front and like groups. In response, the UPF organised a counter-rally to be held at the same time and in the same place, designed to “stop the far left” and “protect the Australian way of life”. | It also had the support of Antifa, the banner name for a collection of anarchists, socialists and communists, some of whom have clashed with protesters organised by the United Patriots Front and like groups. In response, the UPF organised a counter-rally to be held at the same time and in the same place, designed to “stop the far left” and “protect the Australian way of life”. |
| About 500 police officers, including mounted police and the riot squad, worked to separate the two groups but they clashed at least three times. Seven people were arrested: five for their involvement in the clashes, one for carrying weapons, and one for carrying graffiti equipment. | About 500 police officers, including mounted police and the riot squad, worked to separate the two groups but they clashed at least three times. Seven people were arrested: five for their involvement in the clashes, one for carrying weapons, and one for carrying graffiti equipment. |
| Neville said the arrests showed police were able to respond appropriately to the event and said there might be more arrests as police scour CCTV and mobile phone footage of the event. | Neville said the arrests showed police were able to respond appropriately to the event and said there might be more arrests as police scour CCTV and mobile phone footage of the event. |
| “These are operational decisions, I think they are very well skilled at doing these, but let’s keep talking to police to say is there anything else they need to make this easier for them without jeopardising the freedoms of Victorians that we want to maintain,” she told ABC radio. | “These are operational decisions, I think they are very well skilled at doing these, but let’s keep talking to police to say is there anything else they need to make this easier for them without jeopardising the freedoms of Victorians that we want to maintain,” she told ABC radio. |
| The Coburg Traders Association passed a motion of no-confidence in Bolton for refusing to cancel the original rally after it was hijacked by other groups. Bolton has been contacted for comment. | The Coburg Traders Association passed a motion of no-confidence in Bolton for refusing to cancel the original rally after it was hijacked by other groups. Bolton has been contacted for comment. |
| Neville stopped short of saying the rally should have been cancelled, saying, “We need to be careful that we are not going to ban every protest.” | Neville stopped short of saying the rally should have been cancelled, saying, “We need to be careful that we are not going to ban every protest.” |
| “There were two very similar groups that every time they get together we have this situation,” she said. “We don’t want to see these people on the streets of Melbourne, we just don’t, but at the same time we don’t want to ban peaceful protests.” | “There were two very similar groups that every time they get together we have this situation,” she said. “We don’t want to see these people on the streets of Melbourne, we just don’t, but at the same time we don’t want to ban peaceful protests.” |
| She said she would talk to police about how to manage clashes between groups like the UPF and groups like Antifa. | She said she would talk to police about how to manage clashes between groups like the UPF and groups like Antifa. |
| “As soon as it became clear that the United Patriots Front were involved it became clear that this was going to be a problem and the police were involved … I don’t think yet we have had a situation where these two groups have come together and we haven’t had violence,” she said. | “As soon as it became clear that the United Patriots Front were involved it became clear that this was going to be a problem and the police were involved … I don’t think yet we have had a situation where these two groups have come together and we haven’t had violence,” she said. |
| Related: The UPF and Reclaim Australia aren't 'concerned parents' or a bad joke | Andy Fleming | Related: The UPF and Reclaim Australia aren't 'concerned parents' or a bad joke | Andy Fleming |
| The Police Association of Victoria has said police need greater powers to control protests and called for a strengthening of the move-on laws, which were repealed by the Andrews government in 2015. | The Police Association of Victoria has said police need greater powers to control protests and called for a strengthening of the move-on laws, which were repealed by the Andrews government in 2015. |
| The association’s president, Rod Iddles, told AAP it wanted to restore the power for police to proactively move on people at protests who were causing a breach of the peace, as well as “a new law that if you attend a demonstration wearing an article of disguise that’s an offence”. | |
| But the attorney general, Martin Pakula, said the current move-on powers were “sufficient when it relates to activity that is likely to cause any endangerment to anyone”. | But the attorney general, Martin Pakula, said the current move-on powers were “sufficient when it relates to activity that is likely to cause any endangerment to anyone”. |