A 28-year-old pregnant woman live-streamed her arrest on social media after detectives descended on her Miners Rest home armed with a search warrant. Photo / Twitter
A 28-year-old pregnant woman live-streamed her arrest on social media after detectives descended on her Miners Rest home armed with a search warrant. Photo / Twitter
A pregnant anti-lockdown protester in Australia has live-streamed her arrest on social media and been charged for allegedly inciting a protest against Covid-19 restrictions in Ballarat's CBD.
The video on the woman's Facebook page had already been viewed more than 1.4 million times in the space of four hours by Wednesday night, with comments describing the scenes as "absolutely disgusting".
"What the actual f***!" one person wrote, echoing many others.
Detectives descended on the woman's Miners Rest home today, armed with a search warrant, after they became aware of a "prohibited gathering" scheduled to take place in the regional Victorian city this Saturday.
Officers raided the 28-year-old's home and seized her mobile phone and computer equipment, after she greeted them at the door in pink pyjamas.
Upon being told she was going to be arrested, the woman began to cry and told officers she would "happily" delete her social media posts, with her Facebook page reportedly containing links to a "peaceful, freedom day" protest scheduled for the weekend.
"The government has gone to extreme measures and are using scare tactics through the media to prevent the Melbourne protest," the event's description said.
"Here in Ballarat we can be a voice for those in stage four lockdowns."
"What on earth? Excuse me, what on earth?" the woman is heard asking police while filming them, before asking another male in the house to film the confrontation.
"I'm in my pyjamas. I have an ultrasound in an hour."
A 28-year-old pregnant woman live-streamed her arrest on social media after detectives descended on her Miners Rest home armed with a search warrant. Photo / Twitter
She then told police she had not "broken any laws" by posting about the protest on Facebook, to which the officers responded that she had.
The woman was charged with incitement and granted bail, and is expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court on January 25 next year.
"This is unequivocally not okay," US-based conservative Australian commentator Sydney Watson wrote on Twitter.
Herald Sun columnist Rita Panahi wrote, "Victoria Police going after the big crooks."
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Victoria Police have since issued a stark warning to anyone still considering attending the event, saying protesters can "expect a swift and firm response from police".
"Those still thinking of attending the protest in Ballarat on Saturday can expect a swift and firm response from police," a statement said.
"We will have no hesitation in issuing $1652 fines to anyone who is breaching the restrictions on the day, or making arrests if necessary."
Efficient and personable x 2. Dan sent them in the van, to advise against ‘protesting’, which I assured them wasn’t happening, and was never going to. Really. #victorialockdownpic.twitter.com/oelElZN3zI
The arrest comes just days after a group of anti-lockdown protesters in Melbourne's north clashed with police, and AFL great Sam Newman called on 250,000 residents to "take back the city".
After Victoria Police threatened to arrest him, the 74-year-old abruptly backed down, telling Sunrise yesterday morning that his call to arms was simply "hyperbole".
"I said wouldn't it be great to have 250,000 people wandering through the city – I don't encourage people to do that but it was just a sign that this government should cautiously reopen business enterprises in the city before it rusts over," Newman told the programme.
The former Footy Show host tweeted this afternoon he'd also been paid a visit by police, who advised him "against protesting".
