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More than 500 people in Victoria have so far died from the pandemic. The hard-hit city of Melbourne of five million people issued a state of emergency in early August, at the same time introducing curfews and severe restrictions in an attempt to control the spread of the infection. Residents can only leave the home to shop, work, exercise, and seek or provide care. But the authorities’ measures are too harsh, some residents believe.
A 76-year-old man who planned a protest against the restrictions should be prosecuted for urging others to violate the rules, according to 9News.
The police are now directing harsh criticism. for people, they mean exploiting the rules and pretending to train when they are actually protesting. In an interview, Luke Cornelius of the state police attacks the “aluminum hat brigade” spreading “crazy” conspiracy theories.
– We are not idiots, and the rest of us who live in Victoria are not idiots, he tells the television channel.
The police will not be fooled and anyone who violates the restrictions will be punished, he says.
– No one has the right to infect other people and put the health of everyone who lives in Victoria at risk.
– Think of someone other than yourself for once.
In early July, thousands of people were isolated in an apartment building in Melbourne.
Photo: Andy Brownbill / AP
Says the police are monitoring social media looking for people planning protests. At the same time, discontent is burning against restrictions in various parts of the city. In the Dandenong suburb, protests have been going on for several days; several participants claim they were walking. The police have condemned what they believe to be demonstrations and have arrested several people following clashes between police and neighbors.
Victoria is the worst affected state in Australia with 515 of the country’s 602 deaths. But authorities see an improvement, on Saturday 94 new cases of infection were reported. This is the first time the figure has dropped below 100 since July 5, according to ABC News.
State authorities have been criticized for their tough restrictions, including food shortages when 3,000 people were isolated in nine apartment buildings in July.
