'LIKE TRUMP': Fears PM's words could incite violence seen in Capitol Riot
Disturbing protest scenes witnessed in the streets of Melbourne this week show signs of potentially developing into violence similar to what erupted at the US Capitol in January, a federal shadow minister fears.
Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation Ed Husic said protesters bringing gallows to oppose Victorian Premier Dan Andrews' pandemic bill was "edging towards a form of domestic terrorism".
"This represents a threat to democracy where people will cross the line beyond protests to violence and to threaten Parliamentarians in the conduct of their duty," he told ABC Afternoon Briefing host Patricia Karvelas.
Vision from the protest shared online shows crowds chanting 'Kill Dan Andrews' while a caricature model of the premier was seen near gallows brought to the protest by some members of the crowd.
Opposition slams Morrison's remarks
Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned the protests on Thursday however he appeared to later sympathise with those in attendance by saying "there are many people who feel frustrated" and urged Australians to "take their life back".
Mr Husic said he was "frankly stunned" by Mr Morrison's initial lack of urgency to condemn extremists and his subsequent choice of words, insisting he failed to sufficiently condemn those involved.
"I'm even more alarmed by the attempt to establish some sort of moral equivalency like what we saw with Donald Trump at Charlottesville suggesting that Scott Morrison understood the frustrations out there," the Labor frontbencher said.
When asked if he thought the alarming scenes that unfolded at Capitol Hill in January after former US president Donald Trump's rousing speech to supporters could be repeated in Australia, Mr Husic said this week's protests were a clear "red flag".
"I mean, do we want to see what happened in January in the US Capitol happen here?
"Well, if you get to a point where you are seeing what we have seen in the streets so far with nooses and gallows, that is straightaway a red flag.
"It seems like with Trump, Scott Morrison doesn't want to upset violent extremists."
Mr Husic said it appeared Mr Morrison was attempting to "curry votes".
Labor MP Josh Burns called Mr Morrison's response "completely unacceptable".
Deputy Queensland Premier Steven Miles accused Mr Morrison of creating "a coalition of anti-vaxxers for his own political benefit" with his remarks on Thursday.
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