Townsville Bulletin

We Protestcan dodge rampage conflict with China, says PM

Shrine of Remembranc­e desecrated by unruly mob

- BRIANNA TRAVERS, SUZAN DELABASIC, SARAH BOOTH, MITCH RYAN ANTHONY PIOVESAN

PROTESTERS desecrated Scottthesh­rinemorris­onofrememb­rancesaysh­eis confidentd­uringaseve­naustralia­hourcansta­ndoffavoid conflictwi­thheavilyw­ithchinaar­medastensi­onspolice growwhichb­etweenende­d inaustrali­anon-lethaland Beijing.projectile­s and capsicum

sprayfollo­wingbeing usedtalkst­o withdisper­seus Presidentt­hestubborn­joecrowd.biden, the Australian­hundredspr­ime Ministerof­protesters­spoke frombrough­tnewmelbou­rne’syorkonwed­nes-cbdto dayastands­tillmornin­gforanda thirdsaid con-they hadsecutiv­ediscussed­day asdiplomat­ictheyrall­iedtension­sagainstwi­thlockdown­s,china. manda

tory“i amvaccinat­ionconfide­nt thatandwe canthe avoidshutd­ownthe conflictof­theconstru­ctionthatw­eall wantindust­ry.toavoid,” he said.

“Theibeliev­ecrowd,thatmostly­includesme­n,not onlydefied­australiad­esperatean­dpleasthe manyfrom authoritie­s to stay at home and marched through major key city streets before descending upon the state’s most sacred landmark.

The mob chanted “lest we forget” and “sacred ground” while some drank beer and smoked cigarettes at the hallowed landmark.

The heavily-armed riot squad unleashed on protesters about 4.45pm, firing nonlethal projectile­s into the crowd, Scott Morrison. forcing them to scamper off the steps and onto oncountrie­scomingtra­fficinouro­nregion,stkildaand ourroad.friends across ASEAN (Associatio­nthechaos spilledofs­outheastou­tonto Asiannearb­ynations),parkstreet­buti inbelieves­outhit extendsmel­bourne,toourwhere­partnersat­raminwasth­e Quad,vandalised­japanand aandcar Indiacrash­ed… andinto noanotherd­oubt China.”tramamid the unruly scenes.

Beer cans and rubbish littered the front steps of the Shrine, having been used as projectile­srelations betweenaga­inst Austra-police liawhenand Chinaoffic­ershavecle­aredspiral­ledthein thecrowd.past year, with both countriesm­orelodging­than 200complai­ntspeople againstwer­earrested,theothermo­stwithof whothe Worldwerei­ssuedtrade­withorgani­sation.$5452fines

forabreach­ingfreezeo­n high-choleveldi­rect-diplomatic­ives. relations remains in placeother­safterwere­chinacharg­edslappedf­or taxesletti­ngonoff keyflaresa­ustraliana­ndthrowing­exports.objects including golf balls,

tapthehand­lesdispute­andtookbat­teriesanas­tyat turnfrontl­inelatepol­ice.lastyear when a spokesmant­wopolicefo­r officersth­echinesesu­fgovernmen­tferedhead­injuriestw­eetedfroma doc-protoredje­ctiles,imageand anotherofa­naustralia­nmember soldierisi­nhospitalh­oldingwith­a knifechest topain.the throaton ofwednesda­yanafghan nightchild. Vic

toriamrpol­icemorriso­ndeputyass­uredcommis-the sioner of Public Safety and Security Command Ross Guenther said he considered the day to be “very successAus­tralianful”and“effective”publicthat­inprotect-theus remainedin­gpublicasa­fety.close ally.

“Hethesaidp­residentma­ny(mrconstruc-biden) hastion aworkersde­epundersta­ndingwhoha­dpro-of thetestedi­ndo-earlierpac­ific – thisaveryw­eekdeep understand­ing,”listenedto­advicehe said.tostay at

home.“he’s been around this space“toforbeacl­ear,very longtheret­imeweren’tand heas manyknowst­radiesitin­timately.fromwhatth­at’swe acouldgrea­tsee,assurancea­ndwe totakeourt­hatpart-as nershipare­alpositive,”thatheheun­derstandss­aid. these“theissuesg­roupat thisseemle­velmuchand wemorearem­ixedjoined in thistheiro­bjectivemo­tivofation,peace.which we are yet to es

tablish.“we’retherejoi­nedareinot­herthisobj­ec-small tivebreaka­wayofdoing­groupsallw­e canthatto en-see surebenefi­tthat inthe hijackings­tabilityth­atthesewe canthings,provideweh­avewillsee­ndeliverth­at be-the peacefore.inthatterm­sisnecessa­ry.”ofgivingth­em a brand it is difficult to say until we can look at our intelligen­ce.”

He said while it was “unpleasant”mrmorrison­theprotest­landedculm­i-in Newnatedyo­rkattheon Shrine,tuesdayitf­orwaskeya security“veryeffect­ive”discussion­slocationw­ith Mrto Biden.endthe unrest.

Heshrineim­mediatelyo­fremembran­cegotonthe frontchief executivef­ootoverdea­nthe Leeconten-said tioushewas­nuclear-“speechless”poweredand sub-“apmarinepa­lled” decision.bytheprote­sters be

haviour.hetold reporters at the tarmac“iatcannotj­ohnf.comprehend­kennedyint­er-the nationalse­lfishnessa­irportof peoplethat­he whowas adamanthav­ecomedropp­ingtothist­he Frenchsacr­ed submarinep­laceanddod­ealthiswas­to Victoria’stheright thingshrin­etoofdorem­embrance,”foraustral­ia,de-he spitesaid. the diplomatic fallout with“it’sfranceout­rageous,andpotenti­allyrepreh­enEurope.sibleand it’s the most disgust

ing“itbehaviou­rwasalways­i goingcould­to everbea difficulti­maginedeci­sion,”hereattheh­eshrine.”said.

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