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Scores Arrested At Anti-Lockdown Protests In Melbourne

Police in Victoria arrested 74 people and fined 176 for breaching public health orders.
Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market during a rally on September 13, 2020, amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images
Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market during a rally on September 13, 2020, amid the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Police in Victoria arrested 74 people and fined 176 for breaching public health orders as scattered protests against a weeks-long coronavirus lockdown continued for a second straight day across Melbourne.

A riot squad marched through fruit and vegetable stalls at the city’s landmark, the Queen Victoria market, before the scuffling with protesters erupted, with some people throwing fruit at the police, television footage showed.

Victoria Police said in a statement that there were between 200 and 250 people involved in the protests, but there were no immediately known injuries to the police.

“It was extremely disappointing to see people not just protesting but putting the lives of other Victorians at risk despite all the warnings,” the police said in an e-mailed statement.

Protesters march through the streets of the city on September 13, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.
Darrian Traynor via Getty Images
Protesters march through the streets of the city on September 13, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia.

The protests came after 14 people were arrested at small dispersed rallies on Saturday and as Victoria is set to ease its lockdown restrictions very slightly as of Monday, as the number of new daily coronavirus cases continued to fall in the country’s hotspot.

On Sunday, there were 41 new coronavirus cases reported and seven more deaths, showing a steady downward trend from a peak of more than 700 cases in a single day in early August.

Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market.
WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images
Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market.
While organisers claim the gathering is legal, Victoria Police said they would be monitoring protest activity, with anyone considered to be breaching the Chief Health Officer's directives liable for a fine of $1652.
Darrian Traynor via Getty Images
While organisers claim the gathering is legal, Victoria Police said they would be monitoring protest activity, with anyone considered to be breaching the Chief Health Officer's directives liable for a fine of $1652.
Anti-lockdown protesters organised a "freedom walk" to demonstrate against Melbourne's current Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions.
Darrian Traynor via Getty Images
Anti-lockdown protesters organised a "freedom walk" to demonstrate against Melbourne's current Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions.
Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market.
WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images
Police detain an anti-lockdown protester at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market.
Metropolitan Melbourne remains under stage 4 lockdown restrictions, with people only allowed to leave home to give or receive care, shopping for food and essential items, daily exercise and work while an overnight curfew from 8pm to 5am is also in place.
WILLIAM WEST via Getty Images
Metropolitan Melbourne remains under stage 4 lockdown restrictions, with people only allowed to leave home to give or receive care, shopping for food and essential items, daily exercise and work while an overnight curfew from 8pm to 5am is also in place.

Victoria accounts for about 75% of Australia’s more than 26,600 COVID-19 cases and more than 90% of the country’s total 810 deaths. The state capital, Melbourne, has been under strict lockdown for six weeks.

The city will remain under hard lockdown, but the amount of time people will be able to spend outside will double to two hours per day and the overnight curfew will be shortened by an hour as of Monday.

“They are small steps, but that’s what’s safe, absolutely appropriate, with numbers still coming down, but (remaining) too high to open up,” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews told a televised briefing earlier on Sunday.

Reporting by Lidia Kelly.

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