Police given special powers for CBD protest

Police in Melbourne have been granted special powers by the Victoria’s highest court ahead of planned protests against an international weapons expo.

Scheduled to run from September 11 to 13, the Land Forces International Land Defence exhibition will bring together almost 1000 exhibitions from 31 countries in the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Up to 25,000 protesters are expected to descend on the CBD to rally against the defence industry event, labelling it a “one stop genocide shop”.

Police will deploy more an 1200 officers to patrol the site which was fenced off for security on Friday.

In a public notice, Victoria Police said the Supreme Court of Victoria had authorised “special powers” under the Terrorism (Community Protection) Act for an area surrounding the exhibition centre.

Until 11.59pm on Sunday September 15, officers have been granted powers to stop and search anyone within the area, with it being an offence to hinder a search or fail to comply with a direction to remove a face covering or leave.

Last month, Police Minister Anthony Carbines issued a warning to activists saying anyone who resorted to violence would be met with “the full force of the law”.

“If you’re not going to abide by the law, if you’re not going to protest peacefully, if you’re not going to show respect and decency, then you’ll be met with the full force of the law,” he said.

Protest action kicked off on Friday night when hotels, believed to be occupied by defence personnel, were vandalised with red paint.

On Saturday, an activist was arrested after chaining herself to a car on the Montague St freeway exit ramp.

On Sunday Extinction Rebellion protesters were met with a heavy police presence as the marched along Montague St.

The protest movement, Disrupt Land Forces, have called for an arms embargo with Israel and an “end to all weapons exports to states engaged in genocide and militarised repression”.

“We unequivocally oppose the glorification of death, destruction, and genocide being carried out with weapons developed on this continent and showcased at Land Forces,” Disrupt Land Forces said in an open letter.

“From Palestine to West Papua, these companies facilitate murder, displacement, land desecration, and colonisation, in the name of western imperialist interests.”