LIVE: Construction workers stage ‘freedom’ protest in Melbourne
Following from yesterday’s protest outside CFMEU headquarters, union members have gathered in an even larger protest.
Construction workers blocked traffic in Melbourne’s CBD. Many arrived wearing CFMEU branded shirts to dispel rumours that they are 'not really union members'.
The protest has moved slowly through the streets, growing in size. It is now outside Parliament which is heavily defended by two rows of police in riot gear, a mounted unit, and uniformed police standing behind them.
Police continue to monitor the protest, but are not actively engaging them as they did with Freedom Day protestors on the weekend.
#BREAKING |🚨Violent protests erupt in #Melbourne following a shutdown of the construction industry. pic.twitter.com/nty12daOZZ
— ticker NEWS (@tickerNEWSco) September 21, 2021
The construction industry has been shut down for two weeks in what appears to be punishment for yesterday’s protest outside the CFMEU.
#BREAKING: A working-class rebellion happening now in Melbourne, Australia.
— Avi Yemini 🇦🇺🇮🇱 (@OzraeliAvi) September 21, 2021
Tradies promise to come out “every day” to fight the health tyranny.
They’re just getting started.
Vid: @suzandelibasic.
pic.twitter.com/6ws0IxX367
Police threatening unarmed union protesters with violence if they refuse to disperse.
— Avi Yemini 🇦🇺🇮🇱 (@OzraeliAvi) September 21, 2021
No one moves.
In fact, they promise to return “every day”.pic.twitter.com/73WJW7jv7x
Today’s protest is more substantial, with construction workers out in force against mandatory vaccination.
#BREAKING: This is the scene at today’s #MelbourneProtest just minutes ago
— Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) September 21, 2021
(photos taken from Telegram, I’m not there) pic.twitter.com/42cbuU8lsH
This comes after CFMEU boss John Setka tweeted out that he blamed ‘drunken fascist un-Australian morons’ for protesting outside CFMEU headquarters. The large rally was there to protest against mandatory vaccination orders, demanding that Setka stand up for the rights and freedoms of workers.
Those drunken fascist un-Australian morons are the reason construction workers will be sitting at home and not getting paid for the next 2 weeks
— John Setka (@CFMEUJohnSetka) September 20, 2021
Setka was booed back into the building.
Look at all those far-right neo-Nazis at the #CFMEU rally today. Just disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/a6BbzRZTrv
— Gideon Rozner (@GideonCRozner) September 21, 2021
ACTU Secretary Sally McManus also blamed ‘far-right growth’ for the protest. In doing so, she equated CFMEU union workers advocating for ‘freedom of medical choice’ with 1930s fascism.
The protest is calling itself a ‘Freedom Protest’ against state health orders.
Union members have been singing the Australian National Anthem in the streets and renewing 'f*** the jab' chants from yesterday.
Alexandra Marshall
Australian Contributor
Alexandra Marshall is an Australian political opinion commentator. She is a contributor to Sky News, the Spectator Australia, Good Sauce, Penthouse Australia, and Caldron Pool with a special interest in liberty and Asian politics. Prior to writing, she spent a decade as an AI architect in the retail software industry designing payroll and rostering systems.
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