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Protesters have been active in Melbourne’s central business district since Friday, vandalizing hotels with red paint and blocking traffic.
A small group of protesters from Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement founded in the United Kingdom, also blocked a street near the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center that is hosting the weapons exhibition.
Disruptive Ground Forces activist Nathalie Farah says she opposes the death and destruction caused by weapons of war.
“We don’t want weapons in our city. We don’t want weapons on this continent. We don’t want to provide weapons to a genocidal entity like Israel. It is against international law to provide to Israel. And This The government continues to do this and continues to block the debate by saying that we are anti-Semitic and that we threaten social cohesion. To Penny Wong, I would say that it is not us who are threatening social cohesion by not listening. your people you. actually threaten social cohesion.
Last year, the Victorian government secured the relocation of the country’s largest defense industry showcase from Brisbane.
The conference aims to promote Australian military innovation to international contractors.
But protesters questioned the timing given the sensitivity of the Middle East conflict.
Nathalie Farah takes part in a weekly pro-Palestinian demonstration.
“It’s the protest capital of this continent. There’s a great history of resistance in the city. And to bring it back from, you know, Brisbane where it took place the last two times and where the Victorian government has still invested millions of dollars to host it here. Looks like they are looking for trouble to be honest.
Victoria Police have erected what is known as a ring of steel around the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Additional officers have been deployed across the state in case more protests break out in the coming days.
Police described this as the largest such operation since the World Economic Forum in 2000.
More than 100 people were then arrested.
Renee Nayee is with the Students for Palestine.
“It is clearly an incendiary decision by the Australian government to move the Ground Forces exhibition to Melbourne, the heart of pro-Palestinian solidarity in this country. And as I have said before, we will all be there to disrupt it and bring We are paying attention to it and although we cannot stop it completely, we will draw attention to the fact that the Australian government has decided to bring and promote Israeli weapons in Melbourne He announces. that these weapons have been tested in the field on Palestinians.
In response to criticism from protesters, the federal government called the exhibit a private exhibition for the defense industry.
It is organized by AMDA Foundation Limited – a registered charity – and the largest national promoter of the international defense industry.
Military tanks, heavy trucks and semi-automatic cannons are some of the weapons expected to be on display during the three-day event.
Ground Forces says it has no comment on protest activities.
