Around 100 protesters took to the streets again today on the third and final day of an international weapons expo in Melbourne’s CBD. Dramatic scenes continued with two women charged over an attempt to block peak hour traffic by attaching themselves to a car. 11 people were arrested today, and despite the violent clashed seen this week, Victoria’s premier has rules out introducing a permit system for protests.
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00:00Another early morning disruption on the final day of an international weapons expo.
00:07A protester, concreted to her car, stopped traffic.
00:14The two women involved have now been charged.
00:20Today, West Papuan independence activists joined pro-Palestinian supporters
00:27hitting out at Australia's defence cooperation with Indonesia.
00:32We never give up, we still fight.
00:36Protest numbers have continued to fall as the conference has progressed.
00:40It was another peaceful day, but concerns about Wednesday's violence remain.
00:46They came with the intent, some, to cause violence, and that is utterly unacceptable.
00:53The Premier has backed police actions, but ruled out introducing a protest permit system,
00:59which exists in New South Wales.
01:01Do we really think people who turn up to protest, particularly in the manner that we've seen by some this week,
01:06are going to tell the police and apply for a permit?
01:08The state government won't say what it costs to attract the defence industry event to the city,
01:13citing a confidentiality agreement.
01:17There's been a bit of a change in approach to this final event of the day,
01:20which has been described as a zombie rave, but the message has remained the same.
01:25The arms dealers are not welcome here.
01:28We will never give up.
01:30Despite that call, organisers of land forces want to return to the city for their next expo in two years' time.