Karachi Matters Editor
Approximately 1,800 police officers have been stationed at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, where they have used pepper spray and rubber bullets against anti-war protesters.
The confrontation occurred during Australia’s largest defense expo, the Land Forces Expo, as demonstrators gathered outside to protest Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Organizers from Students for Palestine accused the police of using excessive force against the protesters. They claimed that “serious weapons” like pepper spray, which is classified as a chemical weapon, were employed on peaceful activists.
According to the group, the police struck demonstrators with batons—resulting in one individual needing hospitalization—and fired rubber bullets at the crowd.
The high police presence has been enforced under anti-terrorism laws, allowing for extensive searches in the area. Roads have been closed, and traffic has been affected as a result of the protests organized by Students for Palestine and Disrupt Wars.
The police estimated that around 1,200 protesters surrounded the convention center. The protests come amid a significant Israeli military operation in Gaza and ongoing support from the Australian government for Israel.
