Anti-vax protests in Melbourne, which have notoriously been co-opted if not led by fascists and right-wing extremists, have yet again harassed a news crew, with protesters also carrying nooses and a fake Dan Andrews to ‘hang’.
Over a thousand protesters have gathered at the Parliament House in Melbourne to rally against the government’s proposed pandemic laws, which aren’t actually as controversial as people make them out to be.
The Public Health and Wellbeing (Pandemic Management) Bill 2021 was being debated in the upper house on Tuesday, after amendments were made in an attempt to quell the fears of some anti-vax groups about their ‘human rights’ or whatever.
The new legislation would allow the state premier, in this case Dan Andrews, to make declarations of a pandemic and state of emergency indefinite. They would also give the health minister the power to make broader public health orders, and authorised officers the power to detain people under quarantine.
There’s been a lot of fear-mongering about the legislation, as anti-vaxxers claim that this is apparently our decent into tyranny. Despite the fact that the legislation is just bringing Victoria in line with NSW and NZ.
Today’s Melbourne protest against the pandemic bill. pic.twitter.com/EofF5GQ7gG
— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) November 13, 2021
Honestly, I’m open to discussions around our government and the violation of human rights. Australia’s surveillance powers have quietly become more and more extreme, and our treatment of refugees is inhumane and illegal. But no, anti-vax protesters don’t actually give a shit about freedom or human rights. I mean, remember when they threw actual piss on a news reporter covering a protest?
And now, The Age reporter David Estcourt posted footage online of protesters chasing off 7 News reporter Nick McCallum and his news crew after he approached them for comment. It’s interesting how everything is about ‘freedom of speech’ etc etc, until it comes to the press and workers just trying to do their jobs.
Protesters at Parliament House drive veteran 7 reporter Nick McCallum from the crowd as he approached demonstrators for comment. They pursued him up the road, yelling abuse as he retreated @theage pic.twitter.com/lLQvKNENIr
— David Estcourt (@davidestcourt) November 16, 2021
Melbourne’s anti-vax protesters were also reported to have been carrying around nooses and shouting “hang Dan Andrews” in protests yesterday, recalling imagery of the capitol riots.
Disturbing footage has emerged of a fake gallows and noose during a protest in Melbourne last night.
A noose seen hanging from a gallows outside the US Capitol during the Jan 6 insurrection was taken into the custody of the FBI. https://t.co/tGdUOUZvli
— Eden Gillespie (@edengillespie) November 15, 2021
Anti-vaxxers are really out here claiming freedom and safety, and then pulling this shit, huh? Imagine the audacity.
