Australia: clashes in Sydney during a rally against containment measures

Published on : 07/24/2021 – 11:36

Thousands of Australians demonstrated on Saturday, July 24, in the country’s two largest cities against the containment measures. Several people have been arrested in Sydney after clashes with police.

The clashes pitted police on horseback against protesters who threw flowerpots and bottles, as residents were ordered to stay home for a month to stem the resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic.

In Melbourne, local media reported that thousands took to the streets after rallying outside the Victoria state parliament in the early afternoon.

The protesters, who were not wearing masks, broke rules on non-essential travel and public gatherings issued by the authorities, the latter having hinted that the measures could apply until October.

Signs read “Wake up, Australia”, slogans echoing messages seen at similar protests abroad.

Helicopters flew over the streets of Sydney, a city of five million people struggling to contain an epidemic recovery from the Delta variant, as the state of New South Wales (of which it is the capital) recorded 163 new cases on Saturday – bringing the total number of infections now to nearly 2,000.

Not enough vaccines

Sydney Police said they made arrests. She said she was defending “freedom of expression and peaceful assemblies”, arguing that Saturday’s demonstration violated “the public health orders in force”.

Organizers called the protest a rally for “freedom” and advertised it on social media frequently used to spread false information about vaccines. Similar gatherings were planned in other towns.

Australia, largely untouched by the pandemic during its first waves, is now affected by the highly contagious Delta variant and half of its 25 million inhabitants are confined in several cities.

Anger is mounting in the country over the restrictions, which are often only partially enforced, and over the Conservative government’s inability to provide sufficient vaccines. Only 11% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Stephen Jones, Member of Parliament for Sydney, condemned the protesters, calling them “selfish and reckless idiots”. “Nobody wants to be locked up. That’s exactly how we make it last,” he said.

With AFP