Tradies Protest Spills From CBD Onto The Westgate Freeway

The Construction Industry rally has been hi-jacked according to the ACTU as hordes of protestors block the West Gate Freeway as it feeds into a second day of anarchy.

By early afternoon on Tuesday the protestors were on the move splitting into several groups and causing major traffic delays around the CBD.

While some stayed in the city, a larger group have caused major dramas on the M1 in both directions through Port Melbourne and stopping traffic in both directions near Montague Street as the protesters took over several lanes across the West Gate Freeway around 2:30pm.

Sally McMannus from the ACTU said the major of protesters aren't tradies, but anti-vaxxers and neo-Nazis' agitators. 

"This is an example of these groups hijacking concerns that some people have in the community, spreading lies, misinformation and lies about the vaccine all to further their own ends"

However, the rally quickly escalated with riot police called in to control the protesters, who first gathered outside the CFMEU headquarters before making their way to Parliament House.

Rubber bullets, and tear gas have been fired at the angry mob, as protestors set off flares and fireworks, thrown cans of alcohol and bottles of urine at officers, climbed on cars and trucks, causing outright chaos and alarm.

The initial protest was against the Victorian government mandated COVID-19 vaccines for the construction industry and other health restrictions, but seems to have escalated into something much more malevolent.

403 COVID cases are now directly linked to the construction industry with compliance checks over the last few weeks showing 50 per cent of sites failed to meet the requirements. 

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