Bendigo could be left short of police next week as the force braces for major pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne.
Police are not saying which regional cities will send officers to Melbourne to help boost numbers.
They’ve confirmed they’ll pull resources from several regional stations to ensure they have enough officers to oversee Monday’s demonstration, one of many being staged around the globe.
Bendigo’s Free Palestine Group plans to blockage the entrance to the Thales factory on Monday, blocking workers from entering the weapons manufacturing facility.
Victoria Police warns that it is prepared to respond to protest activity, despite none of the groups providing the locations of the protests to Police.
In response, Police will pull resources from several regional police stations, and from specialist areas, in preparation for protests at numerous locations.
In a statement, Victoria Police says “to be clear – we respect people’s right to protest when it is lawful and peaceful.
“However, there is no place for anyone wanting to deliberately disrupt and cause harm in our community.
“As we have seen during recent disruptive protests, it is too often innocent people are caught up and unfairly impacted when roads and intersections are blocked. “
