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Police union slams 'criminal' actions of Melbourne anti-lockdown protesters

Victoria's police union has slammed the "criminal" actions of hundreds of anti-lockdown protestors in Melbourne yesterday, after 10 police officers were injured in the chaos.

Police Association Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said the actions of many protestors who gathered in Richmond yesterday – throwing projectiles, bottles, cans and rocks at police – was not protesting, but simply "criminal behaviour".

"What we saw yesterday was just acts from criminals," he said.

READ MORE: Victoria records 507 new local COVID-19 cases

"They weren't protest activities, they were criminal acts."

"We can't tolerate that."

Mr Gatt said the perpetrators needed to be investigated and treated like any other criminals.

He said police had illogically become the "punching bag" for anger against the government and the pandemic, telling the protestors: "Wake up to yourselves".

"You can't explain what must be going on between the ears of some of those people."

"(Protesting) doesn't make the situation any better."

READ MORE: Melbourne CBD to be locked down on Saturday to prevent COVID-19 protest

Melbourne anti-lockdown protests

Mr Gatt said he wasn't "copping" any suggestion that police had been the drivers of the violent scenes.

"(Protestors) came to that demonstration with the intent to hurt our members."

Premier Daniel Andrews thanked the thousands of police officers who worked to stop the protests, saying they did an "outstanding job".

"I think police did us proud yesterday," he said.

Mr Andrews said no one "had the right to put someone else in hospital", whether that was through spreading the COVID-19 virus or through acts of violence.

He said the protestors needed to realise, "it's a pandemic, not a popularity contest" and that protests would not achieve anything.

The violence came after 2000 police gathered and locked down the CBD yesterday morning in a bid to shut down the planned anti-lockdown protests.

Hundreds of demonstrators – many of whom are not wearing masks – then gathered in the inner suburb of Richmond at about 12pm, in a move apparently designed to avoid police.

Police initially estimated between 6000 and 7000 would attend the anti-lockdown protests in the CBD but only about 500 to 700 protesters were there today.

Ten police officers were injured, with six taken to hospital.

The officers sustained a range of injuries including torn muscles, a broken elbow, a broken nose, a broken finger and bruising.

Police arrested 235 people, including 193 for breaching COVID-19 restrictions

Others were detained for other offences, including allegedly assaulting police as well as drug and weapons offences.

headline

New South Wales records 1083 new COVID-19 cases, 13 deaths

New South Wales has recorded a further 1083 new local COVID-19 cases and 13 new deaths.

The results come from more than 99,000 tests.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian fronted the media today, saying that from tomorrow all LGAs of concern will have the same rules as the rest of Greater Sydney except for the list of authorised workers.

That means from tomorrow residents in: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Strathfield, and some suburbs of Penrith will have the same exercise and recreation rules as those on the coast.

READ MORE: Queensland records no new cases as vaccine blitz continues

https://twitter.com/NSWHealth/status/1439395657060519936

"So from tomorrow, very pleasingly, all areas of concern will be equalised, so relating to exercise, recreation or outdoor gatherings, everything will be the same across greater Sydney," Ms Berejiklian said.

The premier also announced that all public pools across the state will from next Monday reopen.

"All public pools will be open in a COVID-safe way and those COVID safe plans will be formalised and made public," she said.

"Making sure that we keep community safe as much as possible and prevent seeding, but all of us appreciate the importance of enjoying the warmer weather and the positive mental health and recreation and exercise."

READ MORE: Victoria records 507 new local COVID-19 cases on day after violent protests at Melbourne's inner city

Ms Berejiklian said that while it appears that case numbers overall are stabilising, it's too early to tell for sure.

She warned against becoming complacent, saying many international communities have opened up too early, resulting in another surge.

"We are seeing the reproductive rate go below one which means cases are showing, some areas are showing decline," she said.

"But other areas are still growing, and it's really important for us not to get complacent, but to accept that if we stay the course, if we stick to the rules.

"The curve is starting to change, but what is always concerning us is that any super spreader event, anyone being too complacent actually can things very quickly. You cannot muck around with Delta, it comes back ferociously."

NSW has now hit 81 per cent first dose vaccinations.

READ MORE: Queensland records no new cases as vaccine blitz continues

NSW police have arrested a teacher in Sydney over the alleged historical sexual abuse of three male students over 40 years ago.

A total of 1331 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths were recorded yesterday.

The total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic now amounts to over 50,000.

Over nine million vaccinations have been given across NSW.