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- Union leaders turn to social media to help identify members involved in the recent Melbourne protest
- The city saw its second day of protests yesterday after the State Government shut construction sites for two weeks
- Premier Daniel Andrews has issued a stern warning to the protesters, calling the scenes “ugly”
- CFMEU Victorian secretary John Setka said the union was looking through Facebook to identify members who took part of the violent protests
Union leaders have turned to social media to help identify members involved in the recent Melbourne protest.
The city saw its second day of protests yesterday after the State Government shut construction sites for two weeks.
Protestors gathered around the Construction, Forestry Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) headquarters.
Police have arrested 62 people, with three police officers injured and a journalist hurt after having a can of drink thrown at their head while presenting live.
Premier Daniel Andrews has issued a stern warning to the protesters, calling the scenes “ugly”.
“Can I say at the outset that the ugly scenes that we saw yesterday are not only appalling, they’re unlawful. Victoria Police will take action against those who did the wrong thing yesterday,” the Premier told reporters on Wednesday.
“There were some people there who you would say were from the building industry. There were others who were not from the building industry. They’re not there to protest, they’re there for a fight.”
Anger isn’t going to make this pandemic end any quicker.
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) September 21, 2021
Acts of violence like we’ve seen in the city in the last two days isn’t going to stop people ending up in ICU, or be any help to the nurses treating them.
Literally only one thing will – getting vaccinated.
Mr Andrews even stated that the ongoing protests could impact the end of the state’s sixth lockdown.
“We are so close, we are so close to meeting those vaccination targets at 70 per cent double dose, 80 per cent double dose, ending this lockdown, getting past this thing.”
He also said that the violent rallies did not reflect the entire sector and majority of Victorians were doing the right thing.
“They did not reflect, and should not be seen to reflect, an entire industry. That would be unfair. That would be wrong,” Mr Andrews said.
Police Minister Lisa Neville described people taking part in the protests as “thugs”.
“It’s a real slap in the face to the Victorian community who have been doing it very tough,” she said.
CFMEU Victorian secretary John Setka said the union was looking through Facebook to identify members who took part of the violent protests.
“People that were involved in the violent protest, you know what, they might as well go and pick fruit in Mildura somewhere,” he told the ABC.
“Our industry, we try and make it safe, we don’t need drunken morons who think that throwing bottles at people is a good way to protest.”
