They were among more than 50 people charged following the event, which has been slammed by police and politicians after officers and their animals were allegedly struck and pushed.Thousands of people brought the city to standstill from about midday to protest against the current lockdown restrictions, before they began to disperse from 3pm.The police horse, named Tobruk, was allegedly struck by two men in the midst of the chaotic protest, which was attended by thousands of people on Saturday. An image of the incident that went viral on social media shows one of the men, 33-year-old Kristian Pulkownik, punching the horse’s jaw as a police officer rode it through the crowd at Town Hall.He was arrested at a unit on Marlborough Street, Surry Hills, about 11.20pm on Saturday. He was taken to Kings Cross Police Station and charged with affray, join or continue in unlawful assembly, commit an act of cruelty upon an animal, and not comply with health orders.Another man, Remon Korkise, aged 36, was also arrested at a house in Kalang Road, Edensor Park for allegedly striking the same horse. He was taken to Fairfield Police Station and charged with assault officer in execution of duty, commit an act of cruelty upon an animal, not complying with health orders.Both men were refused bail and will appear today at Parramatta Local Court.Police confirmed in a statement that Tobruk was not injured in the incident and was “recovering back at the stables after a hard day’s work”.Officers attached to the Strike Force have been working throughout the night to identify those involved in the protest and further arrests are expected to be made.NSW Police set up Strike Force Seasoned just hours after the protest.Police Minister David Elliott said 22 detectives had already been “forensically” poring over CCTV and social media posts from Saturday’s protest in a bid to hunt down what he described as 3500 “halfwits” and “selfish boofheads”.“Just because people think they escaped a charge for attending today they should be aware that a police task force has been established and will forensically investigate all the CCTV and social media collected over the course of the afternoon’s protest,” he said.“It would have only taken one person with Covid to turn today’s event into a super spreader (event). Decent minded Australians have every right to feel infuriated for such selfish behaviour.”In total, 90 personal infringement notices were issued and 57 people charged, but that number is expected to rise in the coming days.“This selfish, inappropriate behaviour is what is going to keep this city in a lockdown,” Mr Elliott said.“What we saw today were 3500 very selfish boofheads. I’m hoping that we issue 3500 infringement notices, I’m hoping that we have people before the court and we get convictions out of the work today by the NSW Police.“And those calling for it to occur again next week, look out, because the 400 police from today can turn into 4000 very quickly.”On Saturday, police said they were closing in on the man wanted over a disturbing attack on a police horse.A police spokesman said officers had received information from several members of the public about the incident believed to be near Town Hall.“He is one of hundreds we’re looking at,” he said.Mr Elliott has urged the wanted protester to come forward to police.“Considering the protesters were claiming to be peaceful, it’s pretty disturbing that they would resort to hurting animals,” he said. “I’m confident the police will identify him and my advice for the individual is to present himself to police … before the police present themselves to him.”NSW Police posted a picture of the man on Facebook.Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon said several officers had been injured after being set upon in what he described as “disgraceful scenes”.“For the self-entitled people to think … that they could assault police, think that they could do the types of things that they’ve done tonight, is completely unacceptable,” he said.“I always think it’s cowardly when people choose to bring children to protests, particularly when they’re coming for a purpose and they know that there is a potential that people will use violence against police.”This comes as NSW recorded its highest numbers of Covid cases so far, with 163 confirmed infections.While Premier Gladys Berejiklian was not at the daily press conference on Saturday, she issued a statement on Saturday evening, expressing her “disgust” over the “illegal march”.“I am utterly disgusted by the illegal protesters in the city today whose selfish actions have compromised the safety of all of us,” Ms Berejiklian said.“The protesters have shown utter contempt for their fellow citizens who are currently doing it tough.“I want to thank the brave police officers who put their own safety on the line to ensure the protest action ceased.“This type of activity during lockdown will not be tolerated and the full force of the law will be brought against anyone who engages in this type of illegal activity.”The protesters chanted “freedom” and carried placards suggesting the vaccine was “gene therapy”.After walking down George St and Broadway, they spilt into Victoria Park.Some protesters clashed with police as the dozens of officers carefully tried to contain and guide the crowd towards an exit.One woman was spotted pushing and clashing with a riot squad officer near the back of the crowd.The officer pushed her aside while another man was wrestled to the ground and arrested next to him.After confronting police again, the woman was then arrested and marched out of the park, in tears and yelling.Another man was walked out of the park after he was heard yelling at other protesters to surround police who were talking to another group with megaphones.At one point, the crowd ran in all directions and a glass bottle smashed on the path.Those arrested were escorted to the fence line and seated on the grass, some in handcuffs.While there were aggressive confrontations at the end of the three-hour-long demonstration, there were some who turned up to peacefully express their opinions.Police clash with protesters at Victoria Park in Sydney, leading to a number of arrests.Mr Elliott earlier instructed NSW Police “to use all force necessary” as the number of protesters swelled.The protesters, gathered in close proximity with few wearing masks, marched down the inner-city streets of Broadway and Haymarket towards Central Station while traffic backed up on the surrounding streets.In a statement, NSW Police said: “A high-visibility policing operation was launched in response to unauthorised protest activity in Sydney’s CBD … to ensure the safety of participants, as well as the community and local businesses.”Many regrouped in a mass gathering at Victoria Park Pool, where an altercation between police officers and protesters broke out, resulting in a number of people being led away.Chants demanding freedom could be heard while others chanted: “F. k the media”, “Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi”, and “We are One But We Are Many”.Some protesters also lit flares and launched bottles at police.Just days after receiving his second fine for breaching the public health order, boxer Anthony Mundine was also at the rally.He has already been fined twice for refusing to wear a mask in Bunnings and for travelling to Ballina.Mr Mundine posted videos to social media from the crowd in Victoria Park while chanting “freedom”.Health Minister Brad Hazzard said that while he appreciated people’s right to express views, now was not the time.“While we are fighting an unseen virus seeking to transmit to us all, to potentially kill some of our most vulnerable, we owe it to each other to keep each other safe,” Mr Hazzard said.“Demonstrations are potentially the playground of this dangerous virus and don’t help to keep us all safe. Quite the opposite.”Megan, 35, who did not want her last name published, is six months pregnant and says her beauty therapy business has been heavily impacted by Covid-19.“I have no money coming in at all,” she said on George St.“We don’t want handouts. I love what I do and the people I meet.“It’s just a small business and I can’t see how anyone knows the impact that they (the government) are putting on us financially.“We are here because we want to live here and buy a house and we are now in a position where we can’t buy that house or continue to pay out tax, stamp duties and everything else.“In this sense, in the eyes of the government we might be doing things the wrong way. But we have lived every day as law abiding citizens and it’s got us nowhere.Asked how she felt about the people who had died from the virus, Megan said unless she saw independent autopsies, she struggled with that.“And why is it that only Covid lives seem to matter?”State opposition Labor spokesman Walt Secord has condemned the anti-lockdown Sydney protesters, describing the rally as “disgusting” while urging police to “hunt them down”.“I hope that every single protester’s image is captured on CCTV and the police hunt them down,” he said.“No one should be allowed to swarm, assault, threaten or throw items at the police who are out there enforcing public health orders aimed at saving lives.“This disgusting display was an attack on every single person working to save lives in the current Covid outbreak — from every single police officer to nurse to doctor to paramedic to hospital cleaner working their guts out to protect the community.”The controversial TikTok comedian who shot to viral fame after correctly predicting the NSW Covid case numbers was among the thousands at the rally.Jon-Bernard Kairouz, known as “TikTok guy” was spotted chatting and laughing with protesters near Town Hall.Controversial TikTok comedian Jon-Bernard Kairouz, correctly predicted Covid case numbers, speaks at the Sydney Covid lockdown rally.Mr Kairouz has more than 300,000 TikTok followers, and has previously made his “comedy” videos in grocery stores and shopping centres during lockdown without a mask.Also at the rally was notorious anti-vax influencer Taylor Winterstein and her husband rugby league player Frankie Winterstein.Sydney MP Alex Greenwich there was a place for peaceful protests in society, but what happened on Saturday was not on.“My constituents continue to follow the health rules, and at a great cost,” he said.“We don’t need these fools coming into Sydney and setting us all backwards. Peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but what happened in Sydney today was not peaceful, it put lives and livelihoods at risk.”Local take part in a Freedom rally in Wollongong today. Video Kelsey Hogan.In Wollongong, protesters held signs reading “Let Australia live and work”, “My body my choice” and “It’s illegal to mandate vaccines” during similar scenes.Upset locals yelled back “thanks for being selfish for the rest of us”.When a protester was questioned why they had chosen to come out today they replied: “To fight for my freedom.”* Additional reporting by Madi Damo, Linda Silmalis, Jessica McSweeney and Jane HansenNAT – Stay Informed – Social Media
Powered by WPeMatico
