While the images of teargas and rubber bullets in Melbourne shocked the world, they were just the tip of Australia’s freedom movement. Tens of thousands also marched in protest at Covid lockdowns in Sydney and Brisbane.
They may well have been just the beginning.
There have been whispers for weeks about a planned “truckies’ protest” against Covid restrictions. For a while it looked like a washout. Not any more.
Thousands of Australians around the country have turned out to dozens of organised anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine mandate protests.
Originally planned by irate truck drivers fighting back against mandatory testing and vaccination, the events were hijacked by ordinary Australians furious about ongoing lockdowns and restrictions.
“Hijacked”? Protest organisers had specifically encouraged people, whether they drove a truck or not, to join in.
But that’s not the end of the media’s efforts to demonise people protesting for what should be their basic human rights.
The mostly unmasked groups gathered outside council chambers and, parliament houses and on major roads in Queensland, NSW and Victoria on Tuesday in a sign of defiance.
Parliament House went into lockdown in Brisbane, while fines were issued at protests in Liverpool and Sutherland in NSW.
There are fears the gatherings of demonstrators outside Blacktown Council, Sutherland Council, Hills Council, Canada Bay Council, Waverley Council and Liverpool Council could become superspreader events.
It’s funny, isn’t? When ordinary people gather in defiance of lockdowns, it’s a “superspreader event”. But when it’s the football, or cramming perforce into the few “essential” businesses allowed to remain open, that’s just fine.
In northern parts of the state, truck drivers and other demonstrators turned out by the dozens in Ballina and Mullimbimby.
Several of the protests were “silent protests”.
Protests had been organised by truckies borne out of a fury towards mandatory vaccinations for authorised workers – including truck drivers – from 12 local government areas in Sydney.
Queensland is mandating vaccines and Covid tests, as well.
These are a gross violation of people’s basic human rights. “My body, my choice” – anyone remember that one?
“It’s all about people’s freedom.”
Tuesday’s protests come a day after trucks caused peak hour chaos on the Gold Coast after blocking an exit.
Senator Pauline Hanson, who had been in attendance to support the movement, had to ask the truck drivers to move on.
The Australian
Even while admitting that truckies “are angry for a legitimate reason”, the Transport Workers Union refused to sanction the protests.
But this may well be just the beginning.
Organisers are threatening to “shut the country down” and disrupt supply chains.
“The truckies are going to shut down the country; what that means is you need to go shopping now, get what you can for the next week or two, load your fridge, freezers”, warns a protest organiser.
When the trucks stop, the nation stops. Maybe then the politicians and public health bureaucrats will listen.
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