Nearly two dozen men between the ages of 18 and 63 are due to appear in court for their involvement in Saturday’s anti-lockdown riots in Sydney.
Tens of thousands of enraged Australians took to city streets to protest against Covid restrictions.
Scenes near Sydney’s Town Hall station descended to chaos by early afternoon, with demonstrators attacking officers and police horses with pot plants, rocks and ink.
On Sunday, NSW Police released a list with the names of 21 men who were all due to appear in Parramatta Local Court for their involvement in the protests.
Known Covid denier Joseph Mekhael, who was in court just five months ago for similar offences, was among those named by police.
‘Smokin’ Joe’ was previously charged with two counts of failing to comply with public health orders after he allegedly organised two unauthorised protests in Sydney.
He described the government as ‘diabolical dipsticks’, claimed coronavirus was a scam, and made false and harmful claims about vaccination at the time.
Known Covid denier Joseph Mekhael, who was in court just five months ago for similar offences, was among those named by police
‘Smokin’ Joe’ was previously charged with two counts of failing to comply with public health orders after he allegedly organised two unauthorised protests in Sydney
Detectives are still investigating thousands more maskless demonstrators who may yet still be fined for breaching public health orders.
Two men, 33-year-old Kristian Polkownik and 36-year-old Remon Korkise, were charged with animal cruelty after being accused of attacking police horses.
Polkownik and Korkise, were charged with animal abuse for allegedly attacking police horses during the protests.
Those charges come after a maskless rioter was caught on camera punching a police horse named Tobruk.
The attack prompted an immediate investigation, with police putting a public call out online to help track down the person involved.
But there were several other incidents throughout the day in which other horses were pelted with rocks and pot plants as the riots got out of hand.
A cowardly maskless thug was photographed punching a police horse during Saturday’s violent anti-lockdown protest
In total 57 protesters in Sydney were charged with various offences and a special strikeforce had been set up to track down thousands of maskless demonstrators
Tens of thousands of enraged Aussies took to the streets in cities nationwide to protest Covid restrictions
Scenes near Sydney’s Town Hall station descended to chaos by early afternoon, with demonstrators attacking officers and police horses with pot plants, rocks and ink
In total 57 protesters in Sydney were charged with various offences and a special strikeforce had been set up to track down thousands of maskless demonstrators.
David Wilson, a self described ‘biohacker’ was also charged and is due to appear in court on Sunday.
The 60-year-old from the Northern Rivers region in NSW was not subject to strict stay-at-home orders because he lives outside of a hotspot, but has since exposed himself by travelling to Sydney for the protest.
Frenzied crowds were heard screaming ‘you serve us!’ to police as others were filmed crash tackling officers into a garden bed
There are concerns the protests will lead to a devastating Covid super spreader event
Frenzied crowds were heard screaming ‘you serve us!’ to police as others were filmed crash tackling officers into a garden bed.
There are concerns the protests will lead to a devastating Covid super spreader event.
But 27-year-old Callum Browning, who was also arrested and charged at the Sydney protest, claims Covid is not a real threat.
‘The virus we need to look out for is communism and tyranny,’ he said on his Facebook account.
Some protesters took it upon themselves to set off smoke bombs during protests in Melbourne where six were arrested
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Saturday evening vowed those who gathered for the illegal demonstration would face ‘the full force of the law’.
‘I am utterly disgusted by the illegal protestors in the city today whose selfish actions have compromised the safety of all of us,’ Ms Berejiklian said.
‘The protesters have shown utter contempt for their fellow citizens who are currently doing it tough.’
Ms Berejiklian thanked the ‘brave officers who put their safety on the line’.
Protesters were met by mounted police outside Town Hall in Sydney – with neither group prepared to back down