Live on the ground of the Melbourne anti-war protests

Violence has erupted in Melbourne’s CBD.

Over 1,500 anti-war protestors yesterday descended on the Land Forces expo, the largest event of its kind in the country where businesses and start-ups spruik their products to defence forces and contractors.

Those rallying were there to protest not only the war in Gaza, but also the wider implications of war – from human rights violations to its impact on climate change.

Footage of the clashes showed aggression on both sides, with officers and protestors both needing medical attention after day one of the three-day event. Over 1,000 officers were involved in the response, with rubber bullets, tear gas and flash bangs used on protestors, and there have since been calls for an independent review of police actions towards those involved with the protesting.

Given high tensions since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, and wider conversations about war and the place it has in our modern world – these protests were almost guaranteed to be a tinder box of emotions. So, who is to blame for the violence we witnessed? And what exactly where these protestors hoping to achieve? For this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert speaks to those attending the rally on day two of the event, to speak to protestors involved on what they think about the violence.

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