SBS: Protester claims Vic police ripped up bra. 27 February 2014
A demonstrator claims police were heavy-handed at a protest against the construction of the East West Link.
A protester claims her top and bra were ripped up by police during a protest over the construction of Melbourne’s East West Link tunnel.
Protest organiser Mel Gregson says between 80 and 100 police officers overwhelmed 30 to 50 protesters at a Fitzroy North site to stop the Linking Melbourne Authority setting up equipment at a new drill site that residents were not informed about.
“We were so heavily outnumbered by police,” the Collingwood resident told AAP on Thursday.
“They were quite heavy-handed with people including myself.
“I had my top and my bra ripped up over my head.
“Another woman had her shoes taken off her. She was stomped on and she got cuts to her feet.”
Police say they haven’t received any complaints about the Thursday morning protest.
They say officers and a number of protesters were present at the Queens Parade site but no arrests were made.
Premier Denis Napthine says he doesn’t expect people will have to move out of their homes while the link is being built, despite reports that noise and vibrations from drilling and blasting could cause problems for nearby residents.
“I don’t expect so,” he told Fairfax Radio.
Dr Napthine says it is too early to discuss relocations and contractual negotiations are still taking place.
But he says full costs will be paid if there are temporary relocations.
“History shows in the previous projects such as Regional Rail, such as EastLink, there have been temporary relocations of some people for short periods if there was excessive noise,” he said.
