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- A second day of protests is underway in Melbourne after the State Government shut construction sites amid chaotic scenes at an anti-vaccination rally
- Violence broke out at the Construction, Forestry Maritime, Mining and Energy Union headquarters on Monday when protesters turned on union leaders
- Riot police were called in after demonstrators threw bottles at the CFMEU building and its staff during a rally against mandatory vaccines rules
- The State Government then announced late last night it would temporarily suspend the multi-billon-dollar industry amid high COVID-19 transmission
- CFMEU Leader John Setka says yesterday’s protestors weren’t union members, while former Labor Leader Bill Shorten described them as “man-babies”
A second day of protests is underway in Melbourne after the State Government shut construction sites amid a violent anti-vaccination rally.
Brawls broke out at the Construction, Forestry Maritime, Mining and Energy Union headquarters on Monday after protesters turned on union leaders.
Riot police had to be called in after demonstrators began throwing bottles and other projectile at the CFMEU building and its staff.
Protestors had gathered at the site to rally against the Government’s rule that all construction workers need to receive at least one vaccine dose before September 23.
In response to the violence, the Victorian Government held crisis talks with the union late last night before announcing it would temporarily suspend all construction sites for two weeks.
The Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas cited concern over high COVID-19 transmission rates amongst workers.
“We’ve been clear, if you don’t follow the rules, we won’t hesitate to take action – we have seen widespread non-compliance across the industry and that’s why we’re taking necessary steps to protect every single Victorian,” Mr Pallas said.
“We put the industry on notice just a week ago, we have seen appalling behaviour on site and on our streets, and now we’re acting decisively and without hesitation.”
CFMEU Leader John Setka said yesterday’s protestors weren’t union members, while the union’s Sydney branch also condemned the violence.
The CFMMEU condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack on the CFMEU Victorian Branch office and the mindless acts of violence perpetrated by members of the mob.https://t.co/b9IoFYEEog pic.twitter.com/hphk2eIIRK
— CFMEU (@CFMEU_CG) September 20, 2021
“There were a few anti-vaxxer activists there who are not union members or are from our industry. They’re the ones you see at all the protests,” Mr Setka told Nine.
“It just got out of control. Then they were consuming a whole heap of alcohol. Thanks to these morons, 300,000 Victorians are sitting at home for at least the next couple of weeks. It could drag out even longer.”
Former Labor Leader and Union Boss Bill Shorten described the protestors as “man-babies” and “Nazis”.
The man-baby Nazis who attacked the construction union’s HQ deserve to the have the book thrown at them. pic.twitter.com/fFrYPr1aX8
— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) September 20, 2021
“There is a network of hard-right man-baby Nazis, just people who want to cause trouble,” Mr Shorten told Nine.
“These man-babies, they want to complain about vaccinations. They deserve to get the full force of everything that’s coming their way.”
Construction sites will re-open in Melbourne from October 5, with workers required to have had one dose of available COVID-19 vaccines.
