Melbourne: Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan faced intense questioning on Monday as she defended the safety of Melbourne’s central business district following violent clashes between police and counter-protesters on Sunday. The confrontation, involving anti-mass migration activists and anti-racism demonstrators, left two police officers injured and sparked concerns over escalating street unrest in the city.

The day began with hundreds of March for Australia supporters rallying on the steps of Parliament House, while a counter-protest organised by the Campaign Against Racism and Fascism marched from Camp Sovereignty to the State Library. Police erected barricades along Bourke Street to separate the groups, but chaos ensued when counter-protesters hurled rocks, glass bottles, and other projectiles at officers. Fire was set to bins and flags, escalating the situation further.

Addressing the media, Premier Allan condemned the violent acts as “unacceptable” but strongly denied that Victoria faces a broader law-and-order problem. “Melbourne’s CBD is safe,” she insisted, asserting that Sunday’s unrest represented a “very, very different set of people coming to the city with the view of engaging in violence.” She repeatedly emphasized that most protests in recent years, including large pro-Palestine demonstrations, had been peaceful, with police reports confirming no arrests.

Allan rejected calls for a protest permit system, arguing that Victoria Police already have sufficient powers to manage violent demonstrations and maintain public safety. She praised officers for their response, declaring, “Those people will be dealt with by the law, and I thank Victoria Police for the work that they are doing.”

Shadow Police Minister David Southwick countered Allan’s assurances, accusing the government of being out of touch with reality. He claimed that Melbourne’s streets were increasingly unsafe, small businesses were suffering, and police were hampered by insufficient powers to deal with masked, violent protesters. “We need stronger powers. Police are doing their jobs with one arm tied behind their backs,” Southwick said. He suggested that the government’s reluctance to introduce a permit system was politically motivated to avoid restricting union-backed demonstrations.

Victoria Police officials expressed similar frustration. North West Metro region Commander Wayne Cheesman displayed a box of rocks, broken bottles, and other dangerous items thrown at officers, asserting that only a small group of roughly 50 counter-protesters were responsible for most of the violence. “Melbourne has had a gutful,” he said, emphasizing that police officers risked serious injury. Victoria Police Association head Wayne Gatt echoed these concerns, noting that the female sergeant with a broken hand and male senior constable with a deep leg gash could have faced life-threatening harm.

While Premier Allan seeks to reassure the public, the violent confrontations have sparked renewed debate over protest management, public safety, and the limits of civil unrest in Victoria’s capital. Police investigations are ongoing, with authorities using CCTV and body-worn camera footage to identify and charge those responsible.