Herald Sun reporter Olivia Jenkins and senior photographer Jake Nowakowski were led away by police in handcuffs as anti-vax demonstrators clashed with officers at Fawkner Park on Saturday.It was just one of almost a dozen protests across the nation as hundreds of people marched against mandatory coronavirus vaccinations in the country’s major cities.Jenkins and Nowakowski were wearing their Herald Sun media accreditation cards and also identified themselves as journalists but were arrested by police anyway.They have also been told they could be issued with a $1652 fine for failing to comply with the chief health officer’s directions.The pair were caught between a police encirclement – a controversial tactic known as “kettling” – as officers were clearing protesters from the park.Nowakowski told NCA NewsWire they were allowed to leave the first encirclement but were immediately caught within another cordon with about five protesters.“Special operations police started entering the cordon and arresting the protesters and then they arrested us,” he said.“We were handcuffed and then marched away for processing and told we were going to be fined $1652.”The pair were both wearing masks and were released after about 10 minutes.Nowakowski said it was the first time he had been arrested while doing his job.“I think it was just unnecessary,” he said.“We weren’t given the option to leave that encirclement – I don’t know how we ended up in the second encirclement, it just happened.“Police have powers of discretion, they can tell the difference between a protester and a journalist and the intentions of an individual.“They could have just let us off with a warning and said try not to congregate in groups of more than 20 people, which is what the charge was.“It was obvious that we weren’t protesting, we were media who found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.”Nowakowski said there was a lot of anger and abuse from the protesters directed towards the media and TV networks.He said they had also filed a police report after a female protester tried to punch Jenkins because she took offence to her wearing a face mask.Anti-vax protesters in Melbourne described the coronavirus vaccine as ‘experimental biowarfare’ during a rally which resulted in at least 20 arrests.Police said 20 people were arrested during the rally with 15 of those to be fined for breaching the chief health officer’s directions.Another five people were charged on summons for resisting arrest, hindering police and refusing to provide their details.Nowakowski said the support from the Herald Sun had been fantastic and it had taken the issue up with Victoria Police.He said he was confident the fines would be withdrawn.A Victoria Police spokeswoman said they were reviewing body worn camera footage of the incident and would provide a comment once completed.Sunday Herald Sun editor Nick Papps said it was “an appalling misuse of power by Victoria Police”.“Our reporter and photographer were just doing their jobs and made it clear they were members of the press,” he said.“Yet they were handcuffed, frogmarched and then issued with notices. “This is not how democracy operates and this is not how Victoria Police should uphold the right. “We will be making our views clear to Victoria Police and ensuring we stand up as we always stand up for the freedom of the press.”Large crowds took to the streets of Sydney’s CBD on Saturday, February 20, to protest against Australia’s imminent vaccine rollout. This footage shared by Stevie Dee, shows a city street filled with anti-vaccination protesters chanting ‘my body, my choice’. According to local media, celebrity chef and prominent anti-vaxxer Pete Evans spoke to the crowd after they made their way to Sydney’s Hyde Park. Credit: Stevie Dee via StoryfulHundreds of protesters turned out for the rally which was dispersed by 3pm.In Sydney, about 400 people protested at Hyde Park, including controversial celebrity chef Pete Evans, who delivered a speech to the crowd.NSW Police said there were no arrests and the crowd dispersed peacefully about 2pm.Protesters also gathered at Brisbane Botanic Gardens before about 1000 people marched through the city’s streets, which were blocked from Parliament House to Elizabeth Street.jack.paynter@news.com.au
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