It was scheduled to take place on August 9, about 500 people had previously indicated their willingness to join the protests, SBS TV channel reports.
Melbourne police arrested two men planning to hold a rally against epidemiological restrictions and a masked regime in the city centre. This was reported by SBS TV on Friday.
According to it, the men were arrested on charges of planning a protest against sanitary restrictions and a masked regime, which was to take place August 9 in downtown Melbourne.
“Let’s break the quarantine and fill the streets to show these lawbreakers that we will not surrender our country and our rights without a fight”, – activists called on the event’s Facebook page. By Friday, about 500 people had indicated their willingness to join the protests.
The police called the upcoming event “a blatant violation of government restrictions” imposed against the backdrop of the coronavirus outbreak and promised to prevent it. On Friday morning, the organizers of the rally were arrested during a police raid and will be charged with inciting them to break the law by the end of the day.
Coronavirus infection in Melbourne has been on the rise since 17 June. Due to the significant spread of the infection, the city has been quarantined, curfews, restricted public transportation and a masked regime. Most of the enterprises, institutions and departments as well as retail stores have been closed, except for supermarkets, pharmacies and specialized stores selling alcoholic beverages. All catering establishments, except for those selling take-away or delivered food, have ceased to operate, and all educational and training institutions have been closed. Residents are instructed not to leave their homes without a valid reason and are liable to a fine of A$4,957 ($3,529) for breach of isolation rules.