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Jacquie Lambie condemns ‘un-Australian’ Shrine protesters

Rhiannon TuffieldNCA NewsWire
Shrine of Remembrance chief executive Dean Lee said there was urine on the walls of the monument. Andrew Henshaw
Camera IconShrine of Remembrance chief executive Dean Lee said there was urine on the walls of the monument. Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia

Controversial senator Jacqui Lambie has slammed Melbourne’s “tradie” protesters for debasing the Shrine of Remembrance, labelling their behaviour “absolutely disgusting”.

Hundreds of protesters without masks marched from the city to the war memorial on Wednesday, chanting “every day” and defacing the area before clashing with police.

The behaviour of the protesters has been widely condemned, with reports this morning that urine was discovered on the walls of the Shrine, along with litter about the grounds.

“I can tell you now for those who have served, for those ... serving they are absolutely disgusted,” Ms Lambie told the Today Show.

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“To walk on that Shrine, to walk on that sacred ground and drop your cigarettes and your beer cans all over the place and to do what you did is absolutely a whole new low for you people.

“If you think this is giving you more support you‘ve got to be kidding yourself because it is not just veterans that see what is going on.”

It comes as the city prepares for its fourth day of protests, which initially began as opposition to mandatory Covid vaccines for the construction industry but have since attracted anti-vaccine activists and right-wing extremists.

Hundreds of protesters were arrested on Wednesday after an almost three-hour stand-off with police at the monument, which saw some protesters refuse to leave after being given multiple opportunities by police.

Riot squad members appeared to fire tear gas and rubber bullets in an effort to control the angry mob.

Demonstrators sang the national anthem while chanting “lest we forget” and urging police not to arrest them out of “respect for the ANZACS”.

Ms Lambie said she was embarrassed by the scenes that she believed offended Australians and the memory of those who fought for the country.

“The rest of the Australian community, I can tell you now, they are seeing what is going on and have a very, very soft heart for veterans and those who have served so all you are doing – I’ll be brutally honest – is pissing everybody off,” she said.

“This is not the Australian way.

“We didn’t lose people through wars, people didn’t lose their husbands, their fathers through wars to give you these freedoms you have today and you’re abusing them, absolutely abusing them.”

Veterans have strongly condemned the protesters for gathering at the monument, with the chief executive of the Shrine, Dean Lee, calling it “troubling.”

Speaking with ABC News Breakfast, Mr Lee said while there had been no visible damage to the structure, the walls had been sprayed with urine.

“Obviously, there was a lot of broken glass. There has been urination on the walls of the memorial, which is disgusting that those things could have occurred. There was rubbish strewn everywhere,” he told the broadcaster.

CFMEU protests
Camera IconShrine of Remembrance chief executive Dean Lee said there was urine on the walls of the monument. Andrew Henshaw Credit: News Corp Australia

“We know what the shrine means to the veteran community of Victoria and Australia, and to see it disrespected in that way was very difficult for all of us.

“I think if we are to ask ourselves what it is to be Australian, it’s how we behave in times of crisis.

“Those that seek to divide us in a time of crisis are not doing themselves any favours and not representing the best values of what it is to be Australian.”

Originally published as Jacquie Lambie condemns ‘un-Australian’ Shrine protesters

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