Kerri-Anne Kennerley has lashed out at the ‘disgraceful’ decision to allow protesters to flout social distancing rules for Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne.
Thousands of demonstrators have been given the green light to break COVID-19 restrictions in the city’s CBD on Saturday to show solidarity with the movement and demand an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed police don’t believe it is feasible to arrest or fine people for breaking coronavirus rules at the event.
By the end of May, police had issued 5,957 fines to Victorians who failed to observe coronavirus rules. The $1,652 infringement notices generated more than $9 million.
Kennerley said it was ‘unbelievable’ the rally was allowed to go ahead while a limit was still being placed on attendees at funerals and weddings due to the pandemic.
‘I find this unbelievable because other Australians are now being discriminated against,’ the outspoken TV personality said on Studio 10 on Thursday morning.
Thousands of demonstrators are expected to break COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne’s CBD on Saturday to show solidarity with the movement and demand an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody. Pictured: Protesters demonstrate at Martin Place in Sydney during a ”Black Lives Matter” rally on Tuesday
‘If you can’t go to a funeral and farewell a loved one, a friend. It is disgraceful.
‘You can’t go to someone’s wedding. You can’t support the economy but people are allowed to walk down the street not observing social distancing.’
Saturday’s protests, which will be held in major cities across the country, come after more than 3,000 demonstrators gathered in Sydney on Tuesday evening to rally against indigenous deaths in custody in the wake of the alleged murder of George Floyd.
Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on Monday May 25 after an officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes while making an arrest.
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His death has led to rallies across the U.S and the world and sparked a global social media movement condemning violence against black people at the hands of police.
Kennerley said the Victorian government’s decision to allow thousands march the streets of Melbourne on Saturday made a mockery of the coronavirus restrictions still in place.
‘I think it’s outrageous. It’s all about political correctness and 카지노게임 I find it very discriminatory against other Australians,’ she said.
‘We have not been allowed for months and months to see our loved ones, farewelling them, watching their marriage.
‘What’s good over here is not good over there. Why?’
Kerri-Anne Kennerley says ‘other Australians’ are being discriminated against because police will allow protesters to flout social distancing rules for Black Lives Matter protests
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed protesters won’t be fined or arrested for breaking social distancing on Saturday at a Black Lives Matter protest
Kennerley then compared the gatherings with social distancing restrictions on playing sport.
‘If you couldn’t go and play sport why are you allowed en masse to walk through the streets?’ she said.
‘Two weeks ago you couldn’t do a sporting activity by yourself and all of a sudden 10,000 people are okay to walk down the street.
‘It should be exactly the same. It’s either safe or it’s not.’
More than 14,000 people have said online they will attend Melbourne’s event.
Protest organisers have urged people to wear face masks and bring hand sanitiser.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said he would rather the protest didn’t occur at this time, when the spread of COVID-19 remains a threat.
But he stressed the force supports people’s right to protest.
He urged Victorians to follow the Chief Health Officer’s directions on social distancing to prevent the event becoming a coronavirus ‘tipping point’.
Mr Cornelius said the force was committed to working with the Victorian Aboriginal community.
‘I understand from my engagement with local Aboriginal community members that there is a sense of frustration that it takes a death of a black American to highlight the experience of the Aboriginal community here in Australia,’ he said.
‘The events in America certainly do give us an opportunity to reflect on our own community.’
Saturday’s protests, which will be held in major cities across the country, come after more than 3,000 demonstrators gathered in Sydney on Tuesday evening (pictured) to rally against indigenous deaths in custody in the wake of the alleged murder of George Floyd
Kennerley said it was ‘unbelievable’ the rally was allowed to go ahead while a limit was still being placed on attendees at funerals and weddings due to the pandemic
‘No pride in Australia’s genocide’: Protesters march in Sydney on Tuesday
Police are also on high alert for counter-protests being held in the city, and the potential for protesters to turn on officers.
Premier Daniel Andrews encouraged people to stay away from the rally, despite conceding that police would not fine people for 퍼스트카지노 breaking social distancing.
‘They’re not there just for enforcement purposes, they’re not there to raise revenue. They’re there to keep people safe,’ he said on Thursday.
‘I’m not going to the protest. I would suggest to other people they shouldn’t go to the protest either.
‘I understand the depth of feeling on this issue, but I might make the point this way: enough people have been hurt.
‘Let’s not do anything on the weekend that compromises safety, let’s not do anything on the weekend that potentially spreads the virus.’
The series of protests in Australia and around the world come after George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in police custody in the U.S.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos is also urging people not protest at the weekend.
She noted the vulnerability of Aboriginal people, particularly those aged older than 50.
‘Black lives do matter. We know that Aboriginal people are more susceptible to becoming severely ill if they contract coronavirus, and I urge them to heed the advice of the chief health officer to follow all of the health advice, and that is to stay home,’ she said.
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said it was ‘astonishing’ the premier was allowing police not to fine protesters, given the restrictions had prevented some people from attending the funerals of loved ones.
‘The rulebook is out the window on Saturday because Daniel Andrews will not show consistency on this matter,’ he told reporters.
‘How can anyone think this is fair?’
Upper house Liberal MP David Davis said Western Australia had been on top of the Spanish flu in 1919 before a peace rally celebrating the end of World War One sparked a spike in cases and deaths.
‘Having large, mass rallies is a very dangerous matter at this point in time,’ he said.