Fourteen pro-Palestinian activists have been arrested after widespread traffic disruptions in Melbourne. Hundreds marched through the CBD while others stopped traffic on major roads as part of an international movement to blockade key sites in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00 On a major transport route in Port Melbourne
00:05 Stop resisting! Stop resisting!
00:08 Pro-Palestinian protesters are arrested one by one
00:12 Pulled off the road
00:13 Free, free Palestine!
00:16 And taken away by dozens of waiting police
00:19 As traffic banked up
00:20 I had to call my manager to say well I can get to the office
00:23 Pretty frustrating, I don't know what they're bloody up to
00:26 Across the city, pro-Palestinian activists ramped up their protests
00:31 Blocking the freeway exit onto Hoddle Street
00:35 Free, free Palestine!
00:37 And staging lie-ins on major city streets
00:40 Two people were also arrested
00:42 After allegedly tampering with traffic lights at a busy intersection in Carlton
00:47 We would support the right of people to protest their views peacefully and respectfully
00:52 But not to disrupt the lives of other Victorians
00:54 We are sorry that you've experienced 15 to 30 minutes of delay
00:57 But it is really nothing compared to the 35,000 lives that were lost in Gaza so far
01:05 On the steps of parliament, protesters called on the state government
01:08 To sever its ties to Israel-based weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems
01:13 From the sea to the river, Palestine will live forever!
01:18 As hundreds more rallied outside of other businesses
01:21 Including Boeing, Dandenong manufacturer AW Bell and BP
01:26 Leave me out of Palestine!
01:29 Rallies like this one outside of oil and gas giant BP have taken place across the city
01:35 As part of a global movement to cause economic disruption
01:38 And shut down transport and traffic
01:40 Organisers have pledged to continue if their demands are not met
01:44 The cries of the people are not being heard
01:47 And therefore we are hitting them where it hurts, which is in their pockets
01:51 More than two dozen cities across the world are also expected to take part
01:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]