The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has accused pro-Palestinian protesters of bringing “violence, homophobia and antisemitism to the front door of state conference”.
On Saturday morning, ahead of speeches by Allan and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, a group of protesters entered the Moonee Valley Racecourse building and began chanting outside the conference room filled with MPs, unionist and other rank-and-file members.
Protesters had earlier been rallying outside, with Senator Lidia Thorpe and Brunswick MP Tim Read among speakers.
As attendees arrived at the conference, protesters attempted to bar their entrance.
Footage shows Fraser MP Daniel Mulino being shoved by members of the crowd before security guards stepped in and began escorting Labor members. One guard fell on to a moving escalator as protesters pushed past.
Guardian Australia understands at least one state minister was taunted with homophobic slurs as they arrived.
In a post on X after her appearance at the event, Allan said she was “disgusted” by the protesters’ behaviour at Victorian Labor’s state conference.
“Today, protestors and intruders brought violence, homophobia and anti-Semitism to the front door of state conference,” she wrote.
“I’m disgusted. No one should be cowered by these bullies.
“As premier, my priority is a cohesive society where all Victorians feel safe and respected. That’s what I’m fighting for.”
Allan, surrounded by plain-clothed personal security, was in the conference room as some members of construction union the CFMEU and the Industrial Left faction filed out and the doors were locked behind them and others formed a barricade inside.
View image in fullscreenIndependent senator Lidia Thorpe was among the speakers at the protest on Saturday morning. Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP
The room remained locked for about 15 minutes and the chanting continued throughout the in memoriam section of the conference, marking the deaths of former Labor minister Simon Crean, Dunkley MP Peta Murphy and Senator Linda White.
State MP Sonia Kilkenny, whose seat of Carrum partly overlapped with Murphy’s, said her neighbouring MP for Frankston, Paul Edbrooke, was meant to join her on stage but had been locked out of the conference room.
“It’s just me up here this morning, Paul Edbroke is stuck outside with protest activity and can’t get in to share his words and memories,” she said.
After Kilkenny’s speech concluded, Labor official Alice Smith told the room that “the protesters who were outside have been moved on”.
She sought to reassure parents that the protesters “did not enter” the on-site childcare, which she said remained “secure and safe”.
During her speech, Allan made reference to the protest, stating: “As we’ve seen today, there are those who want to distract us, to silence us, to scare us, but our movement and our party is one of the oldest in the world. We are descendants of that proud legacy.”
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2024-05-17 23:35:31
Link from www.theguardian.com
