Protest took place outside the Land Forces 2024 arms fair in Melbourne, Australia, on September 11, 2024, where protestors and police clashed. For two consecutive days, anti-war protestors have clashed with law enforcement leading to increased police presence and tighter security measures in and around the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
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The Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition is Australia’s largest defense exhibition held biennially and brings together over 1,000 organizations from 31 countries. The expo serves as a hub for defense contractors and military officials to showcase technology, weapons systems and equipment.
The event has become a flashpoint for anti-war groups, who view the gathering as a promotion of global militarization and profit from armed conflict.
A large group of protesters reportedly around 1,200, gathered outside the Melbourne Convention Centre, with many waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans condemning global conflicts particularly the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The protests were organized by several anti-war and pro-Palestinian groups such as Disrupt Land Forces and Students for Palestine, which denounced the glorification of war and the arms trade.
They voiced opposition to the funding and sale of weapons to regimes accused of engaging in genocide and repression in Palestine. Protestors condemned Israel’s military actions in Gaza, accusing Israel of genocide.
Victoria Police had anticipated protests at the event and deployed more than 1,000 officers, their largest operation in 24 years to maintain order. The heavy police presence was intended to prevent disruption at the arms fair.
The protests turned violent as protestors clashed with police leading to the use of rubber bullets, pepper spray and flashbang grenades by the police.
Protesters reportedly set fire to trash cans and threw projectiles including bottles and balloons containing an acidic substance, at the police.
Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton defended the actions of his officers, stating that their use of force was justified given the violent behavior of the protesters.
He described the protestors as hypocrites for resorting to violence during an anti-war protest. In total, 39 people were arrested for offenses including assault, obstruction of police and arson.
According to reports, two people were taken to the hospital, though it is unclear if they were directly involved in the protests. Additionally, 24 police officers required medical treatment due to injuries sustained during the clashes.
Protesters and their supporters accused the police of using excessive force with claims that rubber bullets caused severe injuries including welts and facial wounds, while pepper spray was used indiscriminately. Gabrielle de Vietri, a Victorian Greens MP was among those who criticized the police’s heavy-handed response.
Commissioner Patton dismissed these accusations, saying that the officers acted appropriately given the situation. He specifically mentioned that some officers were targeted with low-level acid, which was thrown by protesters.
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The protests began on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, when about 1,500 demonstrators gathered outside the MCEC to voice their opposition to the arms trade and Australia’s defense industry.
The protests turned violent with protestors engaging in clashes with riot police. Protesters hurled objects like rocks, horse manure, glass bottles and even food-grade acid at officers and police horses.
In response, the police deployed non-lethal weapons including rubber bullets, pepper spray and flash-bang devices, to disperse the crowds and prevent them from breaching barricades near the expo.
Victoria Police launched its largest security operation since the World Economic Forum held in Melbourne in 2000, dispatching hundreds of officers to control the protests. Specialized units including the riot squad, were brought in and authorities erected new barricades and exclusion zones around the venue to restrict protesters’ access to key areas.
Metal wands were used to search demonstrators for weapons, while helicopters circled overhead to monitor the crowds.
On Thursday, police expanded the exclusion zones placing water-filled bollards on Spencer Street Bridge to prevent protesters from approaching the venue.
The protests turned violent on Wednesday resulting in dozens of arrests and numerous injuries. Wheelie bins were set on fire and thrown toward police barricades and demonstrators launched baked bean cans at officers.
Police reported that 27 officers required medical treatment for minor injuries. Rally organizers claimed that up to ten times the number of protesters were injured in the melee.
By the end of Wednesday, police had arrested 42 individuals on charges including assault, arson, hindering police operations and blocking roadways.
On Thursday, about 100 protesters continued to march through Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD), blocking traffic and chanting slogans against arms sales and military interventions.
Protest organizers and participants have accused the police of using excessive force to control the demonstrations. They allege that rubber bullets, sponge grenades and other non-lethal weapons were deployed without proper justification and that peaceful protesters were subjected to heavy-handed tactics.
A coalition of human rights groups has written to the Victorian government demanding a prohibition on the use of explosive devices, pepper spray and mounted police at protests, claiming these measures constitute unnecessary force.
The protests are expected to continue through the remainder of the three-day expo, which concludes on Friday, September 13, 2024.
Anti-war activists have planned further rallies including a march to the offices of defense contractors Hanwha Defence and Elbit Systems.
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