About 1500 Palestine and anti-war activists gathered from early morning on 11 September to protest the Land Forces military expo in Melbourne.
Protest organisers had rightly called the expo a “one-stop genocide shop” as Israeli company Elbit and firms like Lockheed Martin that arm the Israeli military showed off their latest killing machines.
Outside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, the police put on their own show of military might—using rubber bullets, stun grenades and capsicum spray against protesters.
As police brought up horses and the riot squad, dozens needed treatment for capsicum spray. Others had significant bruising after being hit by rubber bullets.
It is one of the first times stun grenades (“flash bangs”) have been used against demonstrators in Australia.
The state Labor government had given Victoria Police between $10 and $15 million to mobilise massive numbers against protesters, with riot police being brought in from NSW.
But protesters refused to be intimidated, chanting “Free Palestine”.
They shouted “shame—what about the children you’re killing” as businesspeople streamed into the expo.
A protest organiser told The Age, “We’re protesting to stand up for all those who have been killed by the type of weapons on display at the convention.
“Many of the weapons inside the convention centre are advertised as battle-tested. In the context of Israeli weapons firms, which are present, this means tested through killing civilians in Gaza.”
Battle-tested
More than 800 domestic and international companies were taking part, with companies selling guns, armour, drones, trucks and even missiles.
The Age reported, “British defence company BAE unveiled a military tank to cheers and pounding music.”
While police were assaulting protesters outside, inside the venue there was a “mood of cool, corporate calm”.
Shamefully, Labor Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the protests. “I say to anyone going down to threaten police, to threaten community safety, [they] will absolutely be dealt with by Victoria Police.”
But the real threat comes from the drive to war, with the federal and Victorian governments championing the military industry.
The Albanese Government is paying the South Korean weapons company Hanwha up to $7 billion to manufacture 129 Redback infantry fighting vehicles armed with Elbit systems near Geelong, south-west of Melbourne.
Victoria is a major manufacturer of weapons, contributing more than a fifth of Australian military production.
To face down the police bullies and to shut down the warmongers for good, protesters will in future need to mobilise in much larger numbers and to win solidarity from union members.
By David Glanz
