Avi Yemini was arrested by Victorian Police on Sunday after being mobbed by protesters at an anti-Australia Day rally.
Yemini attended the Melbourne “Invasion Day” protest to cover the rally for TR News and interview anyone “willing to engage peacefully.” However, things took a turn when a mob of loud and angry protesters surrounded Yemini as he attempted to conduct interviews.
In a bizarre move, nearby police officers handcuffed Yemini, claiming he was being arrested for his own safety. Yemini was then escorted from the rally and questioned by police.
Despite mainstream media suggesting Yemini was arrested after “interrupting a speech by an Aboriginal woman talking about the murder of her cousin”, footage of the incident captured by a TR News cameraman reveals this was not the case.
“There was no legitimate reason for them to arrest me,” Yemini said. “They changed it from ‘breach of the peace’ when they realised that I knew the legislation better than they did. They changed it to ‘hindering police.'”
After his release, Yemini said he plans on taking legal action against Victoria Police for the arrest. The decision comes one week after Yemini reported the state was “forced to withdraw all five of their trumped-up and politically motivated charges” against him from his 2018 state election campaign.
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