Covid Victoria: New outbreak records as premier condemns 'ugly' scenes
Victoria's Covid crisis continues to intensify with a further 628 locally acquired Covid-19 cases and three deaths on Wednesday.
It is the highest number of cases and deaths of the Delta outbreak.
On Tuesday, the daily cases surged beyond 600 for the first time since last year's second wave and there are now 6223 active cases in the state.
Melbourne is bracing for more protests today, and Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton "implored" people to stay at home.
He said police tactics will be "different" today and similar scenes to Tuesday would "not be tolerated".
Chaos has engulfed the city centre over the past two days as demonstrators, mostly men dressed in hi-vis workwear, took to the streets voicing their distrust in the vaccine and anger at the government.
Premier hits out at protests: 'Insulting'
On Wednesday, Mr Andrews hit out at those in attendance in the previous 48 hours.
"Can I say at the outset that the ugly scenes that we saw yesterday are not only appalling, they're unlawful," he told reporters.
He said there was a range of people not from the building industry intent on causing trouble.
"They're there for a fight, pretend to be protesting," he said, adding it was an "insult" to the hardworking people of the construction industry.
"The way out of this is not violence, it's vaccination. That's the key."
He defended not fronting media on Tuesday despite the unrest, saying he has "other things to do" and does not front media everyday.
"I'm happy to put my record of fronting up and the hours I have spent talking to you," he said.
More to come.
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