Anti-lockdown protesters swarm a suburban park in Melbourne before being chased off by police on horseback as several are arrested during a tension-filled ‘Freedom Rally’

It is notable that many of the rebels are young people. Lockdowns interfere with the mating game. Most young people probably do not have a regular partner and are in search for one. And social events are a major way of finding a partner.

And there are also single people in later age groups. So there will be ever-increasing pressure on Chairman Dan to drop the restrictions. Any restrictions that go against the sex drive are facing a powerful foe and must crumble sooner or later

Up to 150 people gathering at Elsternwick Park in Brighton dispersed to Elwood when faced with a long line of officers at the site, 11km from Melbourne’s CBD.

Protests were announced by rally organisers about 10.30am on Saturday – half an hour before kicking off at the State Library, and a second closely following at 12pm.

Shouting about Premier Daniel Andrews and coronavirus restrictions was heard throughout the disjointed protests.

The protests were described as ‘chaotic’, with one photographer saying there was ‘a lot of running and not much protesting.’

Some protesters continued to scatter through backstreets, even jumping fences into private property.

One arrested by police was filmed by Nine News telling officers: ‘Wake up, I know you already know this is wrong.’

In video captured of the event, protesters can be heard yelling ‘disgraceful’, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong’, ‘no violence’ and ‘peaceful’ as officers stand nearby.

A man can be seen being arrested as he questions: ‘Officers, why are you doing this. I’ve never done anything wrong in my life. Please, this is enough. It’s only going to get worse. Who is going to fight for you.’

Premier Daniel Andrews said the protest was selfish and irresponsible.

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The most infuriating protest ever: Climate activist pests bring peak-hour traffic in Brisbane to a standstill by deliberately cycling as slowly as possible on a busy major road

Interesting that I had an easier than usual drive from Woolloongabba to the Valley this morning

Climate change activists have brought Brisbane’s peak hour traffic to a crawl by cycling as slow as possible on a major road.

Up to 45 demonstrators from Extinction Rebellion are riding bicycles through the city in a slow-moving blockade on Monday.

Kicking off at Kurilpa Park, South Brisbane, at 7.30am the two-hour-long protest is part of a push for Australia to sign on to a binding target of zero net carbon emissions by 2025, overseen by a citizen’s assembly.

‘We will be riding as slowly as possible to disrupt peak hour traffic to bring attention to the climate and ecological crisis,’ organisers said in a Facebook post.

‘We are headed for complete annihilation. The amount of warming we are on track for, will literally mean the death of billions of people.’

‘Scientists say that at 4 or 5 degrees of warming, the earth could sustain a billion people. Our governments could push us to 7 degrees of warming.’

Rally organisers have told demonstrators to be COVID-19 safe by travelling in small groups of 10, social distancing and donning masks as they cycle towards King George Square.

Organisers listed ‘legal tips’ in a Facebook post advising attendees not to communicate with police.

‘There will be police liaisons at this protest, they will communicate between the police and activists,’ the post read.

‘If the police approach you please direct them to the designated police liaisons.’

‘In the past they have not arrested anybody for cycling slowly at similar events …’

Protesters live streamed the disruptive ride over Facebook, with footage showing them chanting ‘climate justice’ and blasting anthems, such as John Farnham’s ‘You’re the Voice’.

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Lockdowns driving people mad

Victoria’s police chief says his officers have been confronted with a worrying spike in mental health issues throughout the state’s lockdown period.

Chief Police Commissioner Shane Patton said anecdotal reports from officers indicated they were dealing with increasing numbers mental health problems.

“Each day, when I check the reports from across the state and see what’s been occurring, it seems, anecdotally, that my members are attending a lot more incidents where we do have mental health issues. People are feeling the pressures a lot more,” he told 3AW.

“When you think about the pressures that are being placed on people economically and restrictions and a whole range of different matters, as well as the fatigue in the community … our members are experiencing that.”

A nurse practitioner at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital Emergency Department also told news.com.au there had been a big increase patients being admitted for mental health problems. She described the situation as “confronting and intense”

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Queensland police defends force following anti-police sentiment sparked by death of Indigenous woman Aunty Sherry

Queensland’s Police Commissioner has defended the state’s force as being “in no way racist,” following a wave of anti-police sentiment sparked by the death of an Indigenous woman in custody last week.

Several hundred protesters marched in Brisbane’s streets to Queensland’s Police Headquarters on Friday night, demanding an end to Indigenous deaths in custody.

The protest was organised in response to the death of 49-year-old Aunty Sherry Tilberoo, an Indigenous woman who was found unresponsive in a cell at the Brisbane watch house last week.

She had been held in the watch house for several days on drug and theft charges and was awaiting transfer to a correctional centre.

Friday’s vigil was held outside Queensland police headquarters where protesters lit candles to remember the 49-year-old woman.

Some protesters blamed deaths in custody on police negligence and “systemic” racism.

Aunty Sherry’s death sparked a wave of anti-police sentiment, with protests sparked the week before resulting in police being accused of “aggressive” behaviour as they made multiple arrests.

‘We are in no way racist’

While the woman’s death remains under investigation by the Ethical Standards Command, police said autopsy results indicated the woman had died of natural causes.

Speaking from the Brisbane suburb of Morningside, Commissioner Katarina Carroll said she was upset to hear some protesters labelling the force as “racist”.

“I am really upset about that,” Commissioner Carroll told the media. “We’ve done the right thing here all along.

“We’ve been extraordinarily open and transparent about this investigation, like we should be and always are.

“Sadly, she did pass away — sadly, it was of natural causes, but we are in no way racist.

There have been calls for police to release CCTV footage from the night Aunty Sherry died, but Commissioner Carroll said that had been referred to the coroner.

The Commissioner acknowledged reports of protestors describing the police service as racist.

“I think there is a select few that might say that, but in some ways … it’s not the right thing to always say that when we are trying to work very hard together,” she said.

“So, please, let’s settle … let’s make sure that the corner gets to do the hearing or the investigation and we’ll go from there.”

She said, overall, Queensland police have a good relationship with the majority of the community.

It comes as Queensland’s Police Minister Mark Ryan said the Government had invested a record amount of money into the police force across the state.

“Over the last five years our Government’s been rebuilding the police service,” he said.

“We’ve been putting on more staff — over 600 new staff — and we’ve given police a record budget, it’s up 20 per cent.”

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Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.). For a daily critique of Leftist activities, see DISSECTING LEFTISM. To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don’t forget your daily roundup of pro-environment but anti-Greenie news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH . Email me here