Australian politics has seen its fair share of heated debates and passionate discourse, but recent events have taken the fervour to a whole new level. As the country gears up for elections, a series of violent incidents have erupted, leaving voters and volunteers alike in a state of shock and concern.
In a wild moment captured on video, an elderly woman took matters into her own hands when a political gatecrasher disrupted a candidate’s forum.
The incident occurred at a Friends of the ABC-organised event in the north-east Melbourne seat of Kooyong. A crowd of 60 voters gathered to hear from Teal independent Member of Parliament Monique Ryan and her Labor and Greens rivals.
The discussion centred around the state of Australian media and funding for the national broadcaster.
However, the forum took an unexpected turn when three protesters, including one identified as Matt Trihey, a member of the controversial Lads Society, stormed into the room.
Trihey, who has denied being a neo-Nazi himself, began shouting accusations at the attendees, claiming, ‘You people are destroying this country because you will not address civic safety.’
The situation escalated quickly as attendees urged the men to leave. In a surprising turn of events, an elderly woman stepped forward and confronted Trihey, delivering a punch to his face.
Monique Ryan and others intervened to hold the woman back and console her, while organisers called the police.
The men were escorted from the venue, and although no further complaints were made at the time, the investigation remains ongoing.
‘They weren’t expecting that sort of interruption, and it was upsetting [for them]. I was also concerned that things could potentially get out of hand if someone felt the need to [physically] intervene,’ Ryan said.
This incident in Kooyong is not an isolated one. Sydney has also witnessed confrontations during pre-polling.
A man was arrested and charged after he went on an anti-Liberal rampage, kicking down election signage and confronting volunteers outside a pre-polling booth in Macquarie Park.
The man targeted posters promoting Liberal candidate Scott Yung and was heard yelling at party volunteers in a disturbing display of aggression.
‘The man allegedly intimidated a 32-year-old female volunteer and acted in an aggressive manner towards two other volunteers,’ a police statement read.
He faced intimidation charges and was granted bail to attend Burwood Local Court on 2 June.
In another alarming event, a 79-year-old man was rushed to the hospital with head injuries after tensions flared outside a pre-polling booth in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s electorate.
The elderly man, reportedly wearing a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat, allegedly became aggressive towards a volunteer and attempted to deface a Labor corflute. A woman confronted him before a teenage boy reportedly struck him, causing him to fall to the ground.
The boy was arrested and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was denied bail to attend a children’s court on 24 April. The police stated that the individuals were not acquainted.
Ashfield lies within the federal electoral district of Grayndler, which Albanese has represented for nearly thirty years.
These incidents have raised serious concerns about the safety of voters and volunteers during the election period.
The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has been made aware of these events and has consistently called for lawful and respectful campaigning.
‘It occurred outside of the polling venue, did not involve an AEC staff member, and did not affect the continued operation of polling activities. Destruction of property or intimidatory behaviour is potentially a police matter but not one for the AEC,’ a spokesperson said.
‘It is disheartening to witness such violent and intimidating behaviour in what should be a democratic and peaceful process.’
Have you witnessed any concerning behaviour during this election campaign? Share your experiences with us in the comments below.
