A single person was apprehended after protesters encountered the Victoria Police contingent at the Midsumma Pride march in Melbourne on Sunday, February 4, 2024, and tossed paint bombs at them.
Videos submitted on X (previously Twitter) revealed a group of around 50 protestors being pressed and pushed as they attempted to interrupt around 100 Victoria Police officers, some with their households and kids, who were marching in the Pride parade.
Talking to the media, Victoria Police Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton called the protestors an “awful rabble”.
“I have absolutely nothing however contempt for them,” Patton, who himself was at the Pride march, stated. Patton applauded his officers for revealing “restraint”.
Disappointed, Says Victoria Police
Revolted however absolutely unsurprised to see Victoria Police officers attacking Queer individuals at Pride! They attack our areas to pinkwash their violent behaviour and do not be reluctant to slam Queers. State it with me: ACAB, no polices at Pride!! pic.twitter.com/kLL7Mtd7L8
— hiero badge|انقذوا فلسطين (@hierobadge) February 4, 2024
“Victoria Police is dissatisfied that there was a little group of individuals intent on interrupting what is a happy and inclusive day,” a cops representative informed Star Observer in a declaration.
“The protesters, who were acting not in the spirit of the occasion, picked to challenge Victoria Police members who were unarmed. Extremely a number of individuals marching today for Victoria Police are happily part of the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood. Today ought to be an event and not one of hate, we take pride in our members who had the ability to finish the march in a hostile environment.”
Ahead of the Pride march, a group calling itself QueerKillJoys had actually published on Instagram about their objective to interfere with the march.
In a post, QueerKillJoys stated they were a “cumulative of queers formed to ruin pinkwashing and assimilation. There is no pride on the taken lands of so-called Australia and its continuous genocide of First Nations’ Peoples. There is absolutely nothing to commemorate in genocide versus Palestine.”
On Saturday, the group revealed “CRASH the Midsumma pride march TOMORROW! … PRIDE MARCH JUMP IN WHEN YOU SEE United States end up being a terrific and maybe destructive impact.”
Queer Kill Joys
In a declaration supplied to Star ObserverVictoria Police stated that this was the 22nd year of the cops marching in the Midsumma Pride march.
“The march consisted of Victoria Police sworn officers, the Pipe Band, public servants, and Protective Services Officers. There were likewise a variety of kids marching together with their moms and dads as part of the Victoria Police contingent,” the cops representative stated.
“Shortly after Victoria Police started their march, they were faced by approximately 50 protesters, about 1.50 pm. The protesters surrounded the Victoria Police contingent on 3 sides, trying to stop members from marching.”
Chief Commissioner Patton stated that the protestors tossed paint bombs at the officers in uniform. and called them “killers”.
“The protesters continued to surround the Victoria Police members when the general public Order Response Team helped in physically getting rid of protesters from the location,” the authorities stated.
According to Victoria Police, someone was detained for attacking a viewer and they were consequently launched pending examination.
“Victoria Police will examine any video footage of the occurrence to identify if additional cops action is needed,” the representative included.