Experts say a growing frustration with the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was a key factor that led thousands of people to partake in illegal anti-lockdown protests around Australia.
More protests are planned for this weekend in Sydney, with NSW Police warning the events will be “heavily policed” and “that behaviour will not be tolerated again”.
"This type of activity during lockdown will not be tolerated and the full force of the law will be brought against anyone who engages in this type of illegal activity," she said on Sunday.Dr Timothy Graham, a senior lecturer on social media analysis at the Queensland University of Technology, noted the general public took an “overwhelmingly negative and critical” view of the protests when they unfolded.
“But the fact that this is emerging, and it’s so new, and taking on brand new forms, indicates a much deeper-seated problem around trust, around engagement with communities and around people who feel alienated and disempowered.”Dr Roose said a “real lack of political leadership across the board” arguably contributed to the demonstrations, and had some influence on the various groups that showed up.
“The conspiracy far-right elements were much more concerned with the government and media trying to control them. “You’ve got to acknowledge, from the outset, that they’re highly multicultural. There’s also a strong representation of women, as well as everything from anti-vaxxers to 5G activists, conspiracy movements, sovereign citizens, libertarians and so on," he said.
“They feel like their communities are being targeted, much more-so than, say, the eastern suburbs of Sydney.”
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