Anti-East West Link protesters and police in heated clash at Fitzroy drilling site

Police clash with East West protesters 1:35

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Police have used forced to remove East West Link protesters amid chaotic scenes in Melbourne's north this morning.

• news.com.au
• 17 Dec 2013
• News

Dozens of protesters gathered near the Brunswick St and Westgarth St corner from 6am, linking arms around a fence encircling the drill site.

Protester Rosie Elliott, 60, breached the fence, scaling the drill with a "Trains Not Toll Roads" placard in hand.

Police and protesters meet in dramatic scenes this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston

About 50 police quickly descended on the site, ordering protesters to step away from the drill.

When they refused, police moved to forcefully break up their blockade just after 6.30am.

Police remove a protester at the site on the corner of Brunswick St and Westgarth St in Fitzroy. Picture: Nicole Garmston

SUSIE O'BRIEN: PROTESTERS, GET OFF THE STREETS

A scuffle broke out, with protesters and police both hitting the pavement.

Police forcefully broke up the blockade just after 6.30am. Picture: Nicole Garmston

The wrestle continued until police replaced protesters around the drilling site.

Cries of "peaceful protest" and "shame" rang out from demonstrators.

The protesters block the Brunswick St street site early this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston

One protester emerged with his shirt half ripped off as drilling workers watched quietly from the footpath.

Protest leader Anthony Main then instructed demonstrators to form another chain around the police officers, causing a stalemate.

East West link protesters block Brunswick St yesterday. Picture: Josie Hayden

After almost an hour of peaceful blockading, a man was arrested and hauled away by police.

The man, Brendan, 30, who did not wish to give his surname, was standing near the entrance to the drill site, and appeared to hinder police from entering.

Rosie, 60, chained herself to a drill, saying she doesn't want the tunnel damaging her parks or community. Picture: Nicole Garmston

He was quickly released by police but said he had been charged with assaulting a police officer and would receive summons.

"They should be charged for assaulting me. They slammed me into the ground unnecessarily," he said, showing grazes on his hands.

"I didn't even do anything at all. There were five or six police officers on top of me. I think it speaks to police intent today, they're obviously targeting protesters."

Mr Main said Brendan had been arrested yesterday, dubbing him a "martyr" of the protest.

Ms Elliott, of Fitzroy North, said she had been on the drill since about 6.30am.

"I'm standing on this drill because people in Melbourne don't want this tunnel," she said.

"I don't want it damaging my parks, my community. I don't want this tunnel wasting my taxpayer money."

She told gathered police "I can stand up here all day" as they gave her water and tried to coax her down.

POLICE TO REMAIN AT SITE

Acting Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent said this morning's violence was "disappointing".

"Ideally the businesses can go about doing their job and the protesters can protest peacefully, but unfortunately that didn't occur," he said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Nugent said he had not heard any accusations or seen any evidence of unnecessary force being used.

He said officers removed protesters from the site to allow workers to begin drilling.

"We're really here to preserve the peace and ensure that the companies can get on with doing the work they want to do," he said.

But it later became apparent there were too many protesters to allow work to continue.

He said Linking Melbourne Authority had told police they were "happy to not continue work" at the drilling site today.

Police would continue "to maintain a presence" at the site.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Nugent said that would include allowing the woman standing on the drill to come down by herself.

"We fully support people to protest peacefully. We would like to work with the protesters for that to occur," he said.

"But where people clearly break the law, we are obliged to take some action. It is illegal to blockade roads, footpaths and prevent the work from occurring and it's illegal to assault police."

PROTESTERS CLAIM POLICE BRUTALITY

Protester Tony Rogers, 68, said he had his shirt ripped half off after being pulled off the picket line by police.

"It was quite brutal this morning, unnecessarily brutal" the West Parkville man said.

"Police were punching as well as pulling people off. They dragged a few along the ground. We're trying to be peaceful."

Jenny of North Fitzroy, who did not wish to give her surname, said she was kicked in the stomach and saw another woman grabbed around the neck.

Mr Main said a lot of protesters were "shaken up" by the scuffle, with some sporting cuts, bruises and grazes. But he said the altercation had only made demonstrators "more determined" to continue their action.

The aim of today's protest was to slow down and hinder work on the road project, he said.

Mr Main said the "brute force" used by police showed the tunnel had "no real support".

"They may win a military-style battle on the streets of Fitzroy, but they are not winning the battle of public opinion," he said.

"The more and more the government engages in this type of brutality, the more and more they're building support for our campaign.

"If this project had merit, they would just be out explaining the benefits of it. But they're keeping the business case secret, they've put a lid on consultation."

Mr Main said protesters would continue trying to hinder drilling at four locations in the Fitzroy and Collingwood areas throughout the week.

"We're not gonna rule out any types of peaceful but determined action, up to and including blocking off Alexander Pde if we need to again in the future."

COFFEE, MUSIC FOR PROTESTERS

Fitzroy cafe Mario's handed out free coffee to protesters as the blockade stretched beyond three hours.

A saxophone player also dropped by just before 10am to entertain protesters

The protesters called a mass rally for this morning after test drilling for the project resumed yesterday in Collingwood amid a heavy police presence.

Four protesters were arrested yesterday after the anti-tunnel forces were caught unawares by establishment of four drill sites in Emma and Westgarth Streets in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A small band of protesters sat down and blocked westbound traffic on Alexandra Parade near the corner of Brunswick St, Fitzroy, before later blocking traffic on Brunswick St causing commuter chaos as trams travelling south towards the city backed up.

The protesters, many holding placards, allowed bikes to pass.

Among those arrested yesterday was Mr Main.

Premier Denis Napthine condemned yesterday's commuter chaos saying the protesters were welcome to have their view "but they shouldn't interfere with other people going about their lawful business."

"I say to the police all credit to them for removing those protesters so people can go about their lawful business," he said.

Dr Napthine said it was ironic that East West Link protesters blocked trams on Brunwick St as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the project will be North-South public transport "because there's less traffic on Alexandra Parade, less traffic on the rat runs and this will improve public transport services for people in Collingwood, Fitzroy and North Fitzroy."

One of the leaders of the anti-tunnellers, Yarra councillor Stephen Jolly, hinted yesterday at a change of tactics, saying protesters planned to take the message around Victoria, that the tunnel is a waste of money.

"We don't have a fight with the police," he said.

"What we want to have is this debate about this election. The main game for us is having a political discussion about whether this tunnel is the right thing for Victoria."

Several Collingwood residents expressed dismay at the heavy police presence yesterday morning.

Rachel Boyce, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 23 years, said she was furious when she woke up to find two drill sites in her street.

"It's going to ruin our neighbourhood and decimate whole blocks of houses," Ms Boyce said.

"My kids are horrified - how are they going to get to school across this massive building site?"

Ms Boyce said she had been too scared to protest after witnessing the reaction from police.

"The heavy-handed police response has been frightening," she said.

- with James Campbell, Jon Kaila, Nicole Engwirda