Victoria Police say they are “appalled” after violent protests in Melbourne resulted in two officers being hospitalised. One woman was charged with resisting police over the clashes as police tried to separate the anti-immigration rally from a counter anti-racism protest in Melbourne’s CBD on Sunday.Officers used flash bangs, pepper spray and rubber bullets to try to control crowds. At a press conference on Sunday, superintendent Wayne Cheeseman blamed “issue-motivated groups on the left” for the violence.

He said those from the counter-protest — dubbed “United Against Racism: Migrants and Refugees Are Welcome” — were “desperately” trying to confront the other group.

Police said anti-immigration protesters were well-behaved and listened to instructions. Source: Getty / Jesse Thompson

Protesters in the anti-immigration “March for Australia” group were well-behaved, Cheeseman said. “They were peaceful, they were engaging, they listened to our instructions,” he said. He said police were pelted with large rocks, glass bottles and spoiled fruit as protesters tried to break through police barricades.Victoria Police said a female sergeant suffered a serious hand injury and a male senior constable received a serious cut to his leg after they were both struck by a glass bottle. “While both have since been released from hospital, they are set to be off work for the next few weeks,” they said in a statement.

“Instead of working on the frontline to prevent crime and keep their local communities safe, they will be recovering after having glass bottles deliberately thrown at them.”

No apologies from police

“I think Melbourne has had a gutful,” Cheeseman said.

“The fact is rocks being thrown at police, bottles filled with shards of glass were being thrown at police. Bins were put on fire, flags were on fire and I think enough is enough.”

Victoria Police superintendent Wayne Cheeseman said police were pelted with rocks and shards of glass. Source: Supplied / Victoria Police

Cheeseman made no apologies for police having to use force to separate and disperse crowds.”Police do not attend protests with the aim of using force, but it is always in response to the actions of protesters, whether it be violence between different groups, or towards officers,” he said.Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said some protesters were attending the rallies for the sake of protesting and when they acted with violence, like hurling rocks at police, “they deserve to face serious consequences”.She said new safety laws being introduced into parliament in November should help clamp down on such behaviour

But she has so far rejected calls by the opposition to introduce protest permits, which are used in NSW and require protest organisers to submit notice of a demonstration to police seven days in advance.

Organisers accuse police of violence

Anti-racist protesters condemned the tactics used by police to control protesters.

“We condemn the violent acts of Victoria Police,” rally organiser Yasmin said in a statement.

Anti-racist protesters condemned the tactics used by police to control protesters. Source: Getty / Jesse Thompson

“We are appalled by the comments of police commander Wayne Cheeseman, who praised the far-right hate march,” Yasmin said.”It is not peaceful to organise a rally calling for Black and brown people to not be allowed in this country.

“Police denied thousands the right to protest, while facilitating the racist, hateful demonstration March for Australia, exercising white sovereignty to defend a white Australia ideology.”

They said five protesters were hospitalised following their march, but police said they were unaware of any hospitalisations.Wayne Gatt, secretary of the Police Association of Victoria, likened scenes on Sunday to Northern Ireland in the 1970s.”What we saw, it’s just filthy and it’s disgusting,” Gatt told Sunrise on Monday.”The only people yesterday who didn’t have their human rights protected was the police … no-one in Australia takes these people seriously, they are living in absolute fantasy land.”Similar protests were held across the nation, but no others had the violence experienced in Melbourne.

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