Victorian Greens MPs, including the Leaders of the Victorian and Australian Greens, Ellen Sandell and Adam Bandt, have written to Premier Jacinta Allan calling on her to cancel the Land Forces Expo which is scheduled to take place in Melbourne from September 11 – 13.
The world’s largest weapons manufacturers – including companies such as Elbit Systems and others that are currently fuelling the Israel’s genocide in Palestine, where 40,000 people have now been killed – will showcase and sell their products there.
The Victorian Labor government is the principal sponsor of the event which invites 800 defence firms and military organisations to Melbourne to buy and sell weapons, ammunition, parts and military equipment.
There has been a public outcry in response to the expo coming to Melbourne and peace protesters are expected to gather at the event in objection.
In response, instead of listening to the community, the Victorian Labor Government is mobilising 1800 additional police officers, pulling them from regional areas and all across Victoria.
Last week, the Victorian Minister for Police threatened protestors, saying that “every resource that we can bring to bear will come down on top of you.”
The letter from the Greens MPs calls on the Premier to cancel the expo and states their concern around the Labor government’s support of a trade fair that will bring weapons and war-profiting to Melbourne.
The letter has been sent to the Premier today following the Greens MP for Richmond, Gabrielle de Vietri raising the expo with the Premier during Question Time yesterday, the exchange resulting in the Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell being kicked out of the chamber.
As stated by the Greens MP for Richmond, Gabrielle de Vietri:
“Labor’s support for the weapons that fuel genocide is unconscionable. The Premier should read the room and cancel this weapons expo.
“A weapons expo and excessive police presence will create an unacceptable risk to safety, peace, and social cohesion in Victoria.
“Protesting is a fundamental right and integral to a functioning democracy. Police should protect and respect people’s right to peaceful protest yet time and time again, we’ve seen police abuse their power and use force on peaceful protesters.”
As stated by Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:
“This needs to be scrapped immediately. Melbourne is a place of peace, not weapons and war-profiting.”
