From Henry Ergas.....

That the climate of lawlessness that the CFMEU has done so much to instil in Victoria’s building industry contributed to this week’s ugly scenes in Melbourne is beyond doubt. But no matter how richly John Setka deserves to reap what he has sown, the police clearly had a duty to protect the union’s headquarters, as well as to arrest and charge the thugs who participated in the violence then and in the following days.

Oh look even the ALP agree...

'Unclear leadership' to blame for 'unacceptable' protests': Wong

ELLIE DUDLEY

Opposition Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong says "unclear leadership" is to blame for the violent anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne.

The protests continued for a fourth day on Thursday, at which 92 people were arrested – the majority of which for breaching public health orders.

Senator Wong said the behaviour of the protestors was "completely unacceptable" and "very distressing for many Victorians."

"What is needed here is clear leadership. All politicians should be condemning the violence we have seen unreservedly," she told the ABC.

"All politicians should be pushing back against the extremist elements, the violent elements and the anti-vaxxer message that has fuelled these behaviours.

"It is disappointing to see members of the Morrison government making excuses for these behaviours, referring to people as freedom fighters."

She condemned Acting Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's "refusal" to "pull into line" George Christensen, who referred to Melbourne police officers as "thugs."

I note the construction industry was closed down in NSW and there was no such rioting and criminal behaviour.
same union different state.

Two police officers injured as protesters pelt authorities with projectiles, police respond with rubber pellets

More than 200 protesters have been arrested after a stand-off with police at the Shrine of Remembrance, with two police officers sustaining injuries in the showdown.

The protesters were given penalty infringement notices, with some charged with more serious offences for discharging flares, and throwing golf balls, tap handles and batteries at police.

The two police officers injured were struck in the head with bottles, while another was admitted to hospital with chest pains.

Hundreds of protesters gathered at the war memorial on Wednesday to protest against the coronavirus lockdown and mandatory vaccines.

Deputy Commissioner Ross Guenther said while it was hard to tell the demographics of the protesters, police were encouraged by what they observed at the shrine.

"There weren't as many tradies from what we could see, and we took that as a real positive," Deputy Commissioner Guenther said.

Police rushed the protesters, firing projectiles and pepper spray into the crowd, forcing demonstrators from the steps of the shrine.

Flares were set off, casting an orange haze over the scene, as protesters fled from police or were arrested.

Desks were set up under the trees to process people in custody.

Earlier, police had stepped back, allowing protesters to leave the shrine without arrest.

Protesters had been chanting "every day", saying would keep returning to the streets. Many were seen holding anti-lockdown signs and chanting anti-vaccination messages.

One group member used a megaphone to urge others to go peacefully, but tensions were running high as hundreds of police formed a ring around them.

The group had been largely peaceful, but several plastic bottles were thrown at the police during the protest.

Protesters were also heard singing the national anthem as riot police gathered around them and appeared to ask the protesters to move on.

Estelle, who only went by her first name, said the protest was an act of "desperation".

"This is what happens when we have a failed government because the people have been tortured for 18 months and the goalposts keep moving," she said.

She said alternative viewpoints were being silenced by the media and police.

"Why have we not opened the narrative for other ways. We are the most locked-down city in the entire world."

In response to criticism over the ban on media helicopters, Deputy Commissioner Guenther said it came into force due to live media footage being used by protesters to locate officers.

He said Victoria Police reviewed the decision and amended it, allowing footage to be captured with the caveat that it only be broadcast an hour after filming.

"It actually threatened our members' safety, so I was completely supportive of the command decision," he said.

"But as supportive as I am, we've seen that change on review, which should help the media get the footage that they require."

Some protesters have waved the Australian Red Ensign flag, which is historically associated with Australian ships but has more recently been adopted by people involved in anti-lockdown and sovereign-citizen movements.

RSL Victoria condemned the gathering of protesters at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance, saying the memorial was a "sacred place, of critical importance to the current and ex-service members of our community".

"Under no circumstances, ever, should the shrine be a place of protest," an RSL Victoria spokesperson said.

RSL Victoria said the protest was an act of disrespect to Australian Defence Force members and veterans.

"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 time-honoured space."

Protesters spent much of Wednesday marching through the streets of Melbourne's CBD in smaller groups, largely avoiding clashes with police.

Protesters were seen waving flags through the Victoria Markets and taking over the road on Elizabeth Street earlier on Wednesday but fled when the police arrived.

Hundreds of police officers were outside the CFMEU's headquarters on Elizabeth Street, which was the epicentre of Monday's violent protests involving construction workers angry at new mandatory COVID vaccination rules.

Officers have blocked off a large area outside the union building with mounted police and riot squad police.

Heavily armed police reinforcements arrived on Elizabeth Street on Wednesday, with busloads of police moving into the area.

Police had warned they would have hundreds of officers in the CBD.

Officers were this morning arresting people in the street if they could not provide a reason for being there.

Wednesday's protest appeared to be much smaller than Tuesday's large city event.

On Tuesday up to 2,000 protesters, many expressing anti-vaccination views, gathered outside the CFMEU offices in central Melbourne before marching to the Victorian Parliament, then walking up the West Gate Bridge, stopping traffic.

Police arrested 62 people, three police officers were injured and a journalist was hurt after having a can of drink thrown at their head while they were presenting live.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison described Tuesday's violent protest as distressing.

"Those events in Melbourne of the protests are very concerning," he said.

"That is unacceptable behaviour, particularly while those in Victoria are dealing with lockdown and many other stresses."

Premier Daniel Andrews also condemned the "ugly" activity on Tuesday, describing it as "not only appalling, but unlawful".

"What we saw yesterday is an insult to the vast, vast majority of tradies and people in the building industry, who are not about wrecking, but building," he said.

He said although some people involved were from the building industry, others were not.

"They're not there to protest, they're there for a fight," he said.

Police Minister Lisa Neville described people taking part in the protests as "thugs".

"It's a real slap in the face to the Victorian community who have been doing it very tough," she said.

"We all want these restrictions to be over and what we saw yesterday were people who were willing to put that at risk."

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said there had been significant unrest in Melbourne since Saturday's anti-lockdown protests.

"Now is not the time for protests," he said.

"Large gatherings and groups of people and the risk of the spread of the coronavirus is quite real in those gatherings."

He warned people against coming along to protest again.

"We will be agile in our response, we will be very swift in our response, and conduct as we've seen yesterday and the previous day will not be tolerated," he said.

CFMEU Victorian secretary John Setka said the union was "trawling" through footage on Facebook to identify members who took part in violent protests over the past few days.

"People that were involved in the violent protest, you know what, they might as well go and pick fruit in Mildura somewhere," he said.

"They will not be working in our industry. We don't need people like that.

"Our industry, we try and make it safe, we don't need drunken morons who think that throwing bottles at people is a good way to protest."

Mr Setka said there had been talks about a handful of "critical infrastructure" jobs being exempt from the two-week construction ban, but there were concerns about protesters targeting those sites.

"Some of these morons will probably go march on those jobs, put workers' safety at risk," he said.

He said no-one, including CFMEU members, should be subjected to the behaviour seen on Tuesday.

Mr Setka also repeated claims he made earlier in the week that far-right groups were leading protests, rather than construction workers and CFMEU members.

The union's national secretary Dave Noonan told 7.30 "very few" CFMEU members were involved in Tuesday's protests.

He said there was a "very clear" attempt by anti-vaccination groups and extreme right neo-Nazi groups to get massive demonstrations on Melbourne's streets.

"It's very important not to just frame this as an issue of CFMEU members or tradies, this is a bigger assault," he said.

"You shouldn't assume that it was construction workers or our members perpetrating all the violence, but there certainly were tradies and construction workers there."

He said many people wearing high-vis clothing were not construction workers.

Mr Noonan said the announcement about mandatory vaccination for construction workers coming into effect on September 23 had created a "fertile environment for extremists to stir up concern and fear".

"That's been done and there has been a widespread and sophisticated social media campaign," he said.

Mr Noonan said it was clear some construction sites had not been doing the right thing regarding COVID rules, which had led to spread, but that did not mean the entire industry had a problem.

He said in some instances many cases of COVID-19 had been linked to one or two sites, including a Box Hill construction site linked to more than 100 cases.

"We don't think that the fact that one job contributed so many should be definitive of closing the industry down," he said.

"But clearly there is some fatigue of people wearing masks, there is some carelessness. It's just disappointing."

Mr Noonan said there should be talks with the Victorian government about how to reopen the construction industry safely as soon as possible.