Contributed by Joe Montero

I arrived at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne at 7 am yesterday and joined in a vigil over the weapons fair being held here over this week. This is the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, which is a weapons fair. The merchants of death are there selling and buying the means to kill. A went there to participate and witness what happened.

There is a close association with this and Australia’s ongoing military support for the Israeli regimes attack on the population of Gaza, which now morphing into an attack on the whole Palestinian diaspora in the rejoin. Up to 50 organisations have been taking part in a range of activities across the week.

Police attack protesters at anti-war rally in Melbourne

Video from SBS

Photo from The Times of Israel

Days before the Victorian government was making real threats across the media. The state’s anti-terrorism law going to be invoked. This meant that the usual rules governing police conduct would be removed in the designated area. It was promised that those not doing what they were told would be treated harshly.

The video below is the best reported by big media. But no, Jacinta Allan, the police weren’t doing their duty, and you are participated in planning what happened. The violence was overwhelmingly on the police side.

Victoria Police ‘appalled’ by protesters at Land Forces expo in Melbourne 

Video from the ABC

On arrival, it was plain to see that the police were already prepared. They were wearing protective eye covering and masks. The plan for a confrontation had been laid. All it needed was an excuse. It came by way of someone throwing half plastic cup of water towards the police line. A small group of police with a ranking officer at the lead charged into the crowd spraying capsicum gas. Unfortunately for them they run into the mist they created and got affected themselves. There were further sorties of this type.

Photo by Joel Carrett/AAP: Police coming in for the bash. Notice that Channel 7 witnessed what happened but failed to report the truth

The attack didn’t clear the crowd. Horses were brought in and were completely ineffective because the crowd did not budge. They were withdrawn. The riot squad was brought in. This led to the firing of rubber bullets and tear gas and a series of police charges.

A lot of media reports have distorted the situation. Much has been said and written about violent demonstrators, fires, throwing things, and the use of acid. All of it is lies. Here is what I saw and was confirmed by further investigation.

A few did throw water, and sometimes plastic bottle with water. After a series of attacks by police, there were those who did create a barrier of skips and wheely bins. They did so to slow down the attacks, and presumably because they were angry. Who wouldn’t be in the circumstances? The acid claim was about someone who had mixed a little of the liquid that comes from cheese. Technically this contains acid, just like Coca Cola does, but this is not going to injure anyone.

Photo by Joel Carrett/AAP: Injured person being helped go get to medical attention

What happened on the other side is clear. So is the fact that rubber bullets were fired indiscriminately and continually, without regard to what the target was doing. It is clear that certain individuals had been singled out beforehand. It is fact that the police caused injuries and actively prevented some from being taken to hospital by ambulance.

A photographer was hit in the head by a rubber bullet, just behind the ear. Thankfully, he’s all right and only ended up with some stiches and a headache. Others received cuts. Sometimes from shields struck at their faces. I was hit on the back with a shield, I was pushed twice while filming, and caught small whiffs of capsicum spray and teargas, like most people there.

The scariest part of it is that the attack spells a worrying implication. Victoria is moving towards increasing brutal policing for political objectives. This is exactly what has happened here, and it is a threat to basic rights. Expect these methods to be used again unless there is an outcry against it from the broad community. More will be said about violent demonstrators. People should not fall for this straw man. They should see through it to the underlying reality. We should all be concerned.

There must be a call for a thorough investigation. Those implicated with ordering indiscriminate firing should be sent to trial, and if found guilty, punished according to the law. Those firing indiscriminately should be treated in a similar way. There is no excuse. The public mut demand an apology form the police force and the Victorian government, and measures adopted so this does not happen again.

I will go and rejoin those opposing the Land Forces exhibition later today.