Avi Yemini of Rebel News has shared the full video of his heavy-handed arrest while reporting at Melbourne’s anti-lockdown protest on Saturday.

Significantly, the video shows Yemini reporting on camera along with other journalists situated in front of numerous police officers, none of whom appeared to consider him at any fault.

That is, until a Police Commander approached, singled Yemini out, and directed his juniors to arrest him, saying: “This bloke here is not here for any purposeful reason. I want him under arrest.”

The video shows the junior officers appear to hesitate in confusion before the commander gives the order again.

“This guy here’s going to be placed under arrest,” he said. “Right now!”

The officers then approached Yemini, who was not resisting, placed him in an arm lock, forced him to the ground, before putting him in handcuffs.

A petition, set up demanding an end to the “Victorian Police state that detains journalists for doing their job,” has so far gathered more than 10.5k signatures.

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