Victorian Police broke up a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the gates of a port terminal in Melbourne earlier this week.
Protestors blocked the Victoria International Container Terminal at Webb Dock from the evening of Friday 19 January 2024 and the bore flags with Palestinian colours and in the Palestinian design and carried banners saying such things as “Block Zim Ships,”; “Zionism is fascism,”; “No Zim Ships,” and “Palestine will never die!”, and “Unionists for Palestine,” among others. Media footage, and photographs from private citizens, shows many people standing on the road immediately in front of terminal gates.
It was reported in the general media that, relatively early on, Victoria Police made one arrest and it has been alleged that a person became hostile to police. The protest continued throughout the weekend which meant that no cargo moved in or out of the terminal.
Truck slot appointments were cancelled over the weekend vessel scheduling was disrupted. Media reports indicate that several box vessel operations were disrupted.
On Monday night, it was reported that the protests had become violent with protestors and police engaged in pushing each other across a concrete barricade and protestors using crowd control sprays.
It was later reported that over ten people had been arrested.
Shipping Australia understands that, from the evening of Tuesday 23 January after four days of closure, the terminal had resumed normal operations.
Shipping Australia condemns any act to block or hinder normal operations or the working of ports in Australia. Over 99% of all goods that are imported or exported into or out of Australia are carried by ship and 1-in-5 jobs in this country are supported by international trade. It therefore follows that it is vitally important to the wellbeing of every Australia – no matter how far he or she lives from the sea – that our ports are able to carry out their business unhindered.
