This weekend, thousands of Australians stormed Melbourne's CBD to protest against mandatory vaccinations and Daniel Andrews' proposed pandemic laws for Victoria.
@sophieelsworth I filmed this from the stage. Got heaps more footage of speeches ect.
The new government legislation — which will replace the state-of-emergency powers that expire on December 15 — would give the state premier the authority to declare a "state of pandemic" and the health minister the right to make public health orders.
During the protest, anti-vax demonstrators chanted "kill the bill" and "sack Dan Andrews" while holding signs advocating violence against politicians and policymakers.
A man was even seen carrying a prop gallows with three nooses hanging from it, resulting in Australians voicing their outrage and terror on social media over the levels of violence that the anti-vax movement is seemingly advocating for.
Someone in the crowd is carrying a fake gallows with three nooses hanging from it @theage
This was taken today at the Melbourne protest. I'm now genuinely scared of what these people are going to do. This is not ok.
I am very concerned that there was someone parading with a noose in Melbourne today. You have a right to protest but not a right to imply and incite violence
WTF, is this actually Australia? Is this really who we have become and who we want to be? https://t.co/w6WLusqqGo
Beyond disgusting, what is happening to our nation ? The noose is one of the most confronting images throughout history & here it is on Melbourne streets in 2021? Are the protestors really so ignorant ? Are they advocating violence/murder ? https://t.co/zfO71KsNZ5
Trump flags were also seen at the Melbourne protest, leading some to draw comparisons to the January 6 Insurrection, where a mob of rioters carried Confederate flags, hung nooses and paraded white supremacist symbols as they breached the Capitol.
Washington, DC #Melbourne Jan. 6, ‘21 Nov. 13, ‘21
Noose-wielding Trump and QAnon supporters: The ugly, dangerous underbelly of Australia.
@MikeCarlton01 Trump flags and 3 noose effigy is shocking to the senses. A 20 min train ride to Melbourne in a carriage full of them, unmasked, angry, intimidating. Left me shocked.
United Australia MP Craig Kelly was among the many who spoke and pushed anti-vax rhetoric at the protest, with Kelly saying that: "We're [Australians] being governed by insane medical bureaucrats."
