Man arrested for wearing Australian flag near Invasion Day protests speaks out

Sky News Australia

29 Jan 202405:59

Summary

TLDROn Australia Day in Melbourne, Frank Stradins and Die Thorley experienced a shocking encounter. Despite the Australia Day March being cancelled, they celebrated by wearing Australian flags and attending a 21-gun salute. However, their patriotism was met with controversy when Frank was approached by police in the midst of a diverse demonstration and accused of inciting a riot simply for displaying the Australian flag. This incident highlights a tension between national pride and public perception, stirring debate on the freedom to express patriotism in Australia. Their story raises questions about the state of national identity and the rights of individuals to celebrate their country.

Takeaways

😢 Frank and D were arrested on Australia Day in Melbourne for wearing Australian flags
👎 The Australia Day march was cancelled and there were barely any Australian flags visible
👍 Initially people responded positively to Frank and D's Australian flags
😠 A police officer threatened to arrest Frank for 'inciting a riot' with his flags
😮 The police officer said there were 30,000 angry protesters that Frank was 'inciting'
😤 The police told them to take their flags off and sneak through back streets
😫 Frank felt disappointed and shocked by the experience of being targeted for the flags
😡 D suggests the authorities sided with those attacking Australian patriotism
🇦🇺 Frank and D stood up for celebrating Australia Day despite threats
❓ D questions why their right to wave Australian flags wasn't protected

Q & A

Why were Frank and D arrested?
-They were arrested for carrying Australian flags and wearing them on their heads on Australia Day in Melbourne.
What events did Frank and D attend earlier that day?
-Earlier that day, Frank and D attended the 21 gun salute at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne to celebrate Australia Day.
How did most people react to Frank and D's flags earlier that day?
-Most people reacted positively, with thumbs up and asking to take photos with Frank and D and their flags.
What did the police officer accuse Frank of doing?
-The police officer accused Frank of inciting a riot by wearing the Australian flags on his head.
How many other Australian flags did Frank and D see that day?
-Frank and D said they only saw two other Australian flags in four hours that day.
What did the police officer instruct Frank and D to do?
-The police officer instructed Frank and D to take off their flags and cut through side streets to get to South Bank.
How did Frank feel after the incident?
-Frank felt disappointed and shocked by what happened.
Why do you think the police officer targeted Frank and D?
-It seems the police officer unfairly targeted Frank and D for celebrating Australia Day with flags, while ignoring the much larger group that was chanting and could have caused an actual disturbance.
Do you think Frank and D's rights were violated?
-Yes, it seems Frank and D's rights to free speech and expression were violated by being arrested simply for having Australian flags on Australia Day.
How does this incident reflect on Australia today?
-This incident sadly seems to reflect growing division and intolerance in Australia, where national pride and free expression are being suppressed.