Australian police on patrol outside the Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition building today. Photo / Getty Images
They promised yet more mayhem in Melbourne today, but organisers of protests that have hijacked the city since Monday stayed away.
In doing so, the fringe powerbrokers driving much of the anger abandoned a handful of supporters who showed up anyway, having seemingly missed the memo.
Several hundred police were deployed to different parts of the Victoria capital, fearing a fourth consecutive day of chaos based on chatter among different groups about their plans for Thursday.
But authorities were met by an eerie silence and peaceful streets.
A small scattering of protesters were seen within the CBD over the course of Thursday, moving through the city streets looking for the main pack.
They didn't find one.
Chats on the social media platform Telegram, used by anti-vaxxer, anti-lockdown and far-right groups contributing to the movement, were tense as a result.
Those who ventured into the city asked where everyone was, confused about the lack of a protest presence and expressing frustration at having seemingly been abandoned.
Speculation is now simmering that Melbourne could be targeted by protest organisers on Friday, which is a public holiday.
Victoria is reeling from days of violent and disruptive protests, which saw widespread property destruction, assaults on police and the tormenting and intimidation of members of the public.
But Wednesday was by far the ugliest day so far, with four hundred "thugs" converging on the hallowed Shrine of Remembrance in an act labelled as desecration by veterans' groups.
Reports are now emerging that a man who attended the Shrine protest has since tested positive to Covid-19.
The man has been taken to hospital for treatment but is not in intensive care, according to the ABC.
It was also revealed today that health workers have been subjected to physical and verbal abuse, with staff at a Covid vaccination hub in the city spat at and heckled.
"These people are doing the very best of work," a furious Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters. "They are vaccinating people, providing people with close to certainty – not absolute but close to certainty – that they will not become gravely ill.
"Why would you abuse, why would you spit on people who are doing that sort of work? That is ugly, that is uncalled for."
The Town Hall clinic targeted, as well as a second site at Central City, have now been shutdown to ensure the safety of staff.
Staff walking to work in their uniforms had also been abused by high-vis-clad demonstrators.
"I am shocked at the treatment of people who deserve nothing but our utmost gratitude and praise for working throughout the pandemic to ensure everyone gets the support and healthcare they need," Nicole Bartholomeusz, chief executive officer of vaccine hub operator Cohealth, said in a statement.
"We condemn all acts of harassment and violence and stand in steadfast support of all Victorian health workers. We urge the Victorian community to give their fullest support and compassion to all health workers at this time."
Protesters, which comprise a ragtag assortment of construction workers, anti-vaxxers, lockdown opponents, so-called "freedom defenders" and conspiracy theorists, have been condemned for their conduct at the Shrine of Remembrance.
After gathering in the CBD on Wednesday and marching through the streets, they made their way to the Shrine, occupying it until late in the afternoon, chanting, yelling, swearing and pelting police with projectiles.
Scenes of men drinking alcohol, smoking and screaming "Lest we forget", and some even urinating on the walls of the Shrine, horrified veterans' groups.
In a furious statement, RSL Victoria said the Shrine should never be a place of protest "under any circumstances".
"If any individuals or groups choose to express their political views, positions or ideological theories in the grounds of the shrine at any time, they are completely disrespecting the sanctity of this honoured space – those men and women of the Defence Force who have lost their lives, and all Victorian veterans."
Shrine of Remembrance chief executive officer Dean Lee was left "speechless" and "appalled" by the disrespectful behaviour, he said.
"I cannot comprehend the selfishness of people who have come to this sacred place and do this," Lee told reporters.
"It's outrageous, reprehensible and it's the most disgusting behaviour I could ever imagine here at the Shrine."
This blokes name is Wade. He’s an indigenous Australian & a veteran. He was so upset by what he saw today in Melbourne that he put his & his fathers medals on, marched down to the Shrine & begged them to respect that sacred place.
— Eamon (@eamhale) September 22, 2021
I’m inspired by Wade & proud to know him pic.twitter.com/ogFErYrji4
Last night, organisers promised they won't be scared away by the increasingly heavy police presence and had plans in place for more of the same today.
Protesters were expected to begin arriving in the Victoria capital mid-morning but the city remained quiet and peaceful.
Organisers vowed to unleash a fourth consecutive day of mayhem, putting authorities on high alert and forcing the deployment of hundreds of officers.
But by early afternoon, the large crowds seen in recent days had failed to eventuate.
In a chat group on Telegram, supporters had also discussed tactics to make it appear as though other industries were joining the cause.
"Some of the nurses are going to turn up in scrubs," one said.
It had been noted in the group that high-visibility workwear donned by protesters, including non-tradies, was becoming "vilified" and that a more "sophisticated" look is now needed.
"Everyone start turning up in suits, shirts/ties, dress shoes. Look smart, look sophisticated," one said.
"So they can see how many different industries are standing up," another added.
Throughout the week, the crowd has spontaneously chanted "every day" in reference to their pledge to continue protesting until their demands are met.
Among them, a reversal of mandatory Covid vaccines for construction sector workers and an end to the snap two-week closure of the industry imposed by the premier on Monday night.
The shutdown was in response to a spike of cases and widespread breaches of public health orders, Andrews insisted, but was also seen as retaliation for Monday's snap protest outside the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union headquarters.
On whether he'd reconsider the vaccine mandate, Andrews on Thursday said: "No, that decision has been made. I would just note, the same decision was made in NSW so, you know, this is happening in many different parts of the country for the same reason."
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said his people would do everything they could to prevent further "madness".
"We'll stay the distance, it is as simple as that," Patton said. "We won't tolerate the city being held to ransom."
There's growing speculation that plans are being hatched for a protest presence in the city on Friday, which is a public holiday.
Police say they're monitoring the discussions of various groups and individual troublemakers and will be ready for whatever eventuates.
Part of Thursday's police operation saw dozens of officers swarm various mass vaccination hubs within the city, including one at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The movements were prompted by threats made inside a chat group run by so-called "freedom defenders" towards vaccine clinics.
Members suggested demonstrations in order to spark panic and slow down the delivery of Covid jabs.
"You're allowed to legally be there. Just stand in the massive line until the numbers are there," one said.
Protesters should then start singing, dancing and "waking people up", it was said, while one pointed out that simply queuing at vaccination hubs would delay the delivery of jabs.
The threats came after the forced closure of pop-up clinics at Town Hall and City Central for safety reasons, which the Premier said would only hurt "the most vulnerable in our community".
"Some of those are the least fortunate, the least powerful, least influential in the community, people who sometimes not much thought is given to … our partners who are doing important work and the staff have been treated appallingly and that is not fair," he said.
A powerful op-ed published in today's Herald Sun newspaper has taken aim at the "amped up thugs" terrorising Melbourne.
"These people see you and I as 'sheep', as they themselves blindly follow each other through CBD streets, in no particular direction and with no particular direction, on their path to indiscriminate anarchy," Wayne Gatt, secretary of the Police Association of Victoria, wrote.
"While many watch their despicable behaviour on television and shake their heads in anger, our police are on the ground, representing those at home, as the physical barrier between anarchy and civility.
"That often comes at a cost. For their efforts, our members have become the principal target of violence and aggression. They have been injured and hospitalised. Their families have watched on and held their breath.
"We all have something to lose by virtue of the protests of the last few days, but the families of our members have the most to lose."
Victoria Police are investigating disturbing vision of officers body slamming a man to the ground at Flinders St Station on Wednesday.
The video is circulating on social media and has sparked anger, including among protest participants who say it's an example of the heavy-handed tactics they've encountered.
Chief Commission Shane Patton was asked about the video on 3AW Radio this morning and said: "We'll investigate that."
He added: "I don't know what the full circumstances are. There's always context to everything."
The vision appears to show a calm man talking with officers before he is grabbed from behind and slammed into the hard tile floor.
Here it is below, but a warning, it's quite graphic.
🚨⚠️WARNING ⚠️🚨
— Dee (@_Dee_1982) September 22, 2021
GRAPHIC CONTENT
at Flinders St Station
When Shane Patton said they won’t hesitate to use force
I think this was his vision 😬😬😬 pic.twitter.com/zpdLDa5ttL
A senior adviser to the Victoria Government has reportedly quit in protest over new public health orders for the building and construction sector, it's been reported.
Peter Parkinson is the chair of the Building Industry Council, a senior Victoria Government role that provides advice to Treasurer Tim Pallas.
The Age newspaper reports Parkinson resigned last week in frustration at a lack of consultation with the industry about new and controversial rules – including mandatory vaccines for tradies.
Relations between the state's Health Department and key union and business groups had "disintegrated" in recent weeks, the outlet reports.
Asked about the departure, Andrews said the media reports were wrong but declined to elaborate.
The Andrews Government has been criticised for its handling of the road map out of lockdown and towards a new 'covid normal'.
Police taking no chances today. We're hearing a Nine security guard has been arrested near the CFMEU building while waiting for a crew to arrive. We're told he immediately identified himself and showed his Nine ID. @SamCucchiara9 @ACurrentAffair9
— Georgia Linnell (@georgialinnell) September 23, 2021
What sort of disgusting parent takes a child to something like this? The child is clearly petrified. What a disgrace. 📸@theage pic.twitter.com/4dMTwy3j6Y
— Mr Minogue 🌈 (@mr_minogue) September 22, 2021
New York Times: The Hawards have cultivated oysters on Mersea Island for 250 years.