Man confronted by police 'for taking out the bins' after curfew
A Melbourne man has alleged police harassed him while putting his bins out for collection after the 8pm curfew in Victoria.
Jordan Hale, a Canadian living in the Melbourne suburb of Mickleham claims he was taking out his bins last Thursday night when police officers got out of their car and approached him.
Speaking to 3AW on Wednesday morning, Mr Hale explained he was just sending a text message outside his house when police rocked up.
Mr Hale also shared CCTV footage which shows him outside his home with The Yemini Report, which was shared on social media platforms this week.
The CCTV footage shows him texting as the police arrive, with two police officers getting out of their car and approaching Mr Hale. The officers then follow him towards his home.
“I explained quite calmly,” Mr Hale told Neil Mitchell on 3AW.
“I said ‘Sir, this is my house and as you can see I just put out my bins’, pointing to my bins outside my house and the neighbours bins.
“He was demanding to see my ID, to which I responded ‘I don’t carry ID on my property, I was just putting out my garbage’.”
Mr Hale then claimed he took just a step onto his property to show the officers the gated area where he keeps his bins and the officers continued to follow him, when he asked if they had a warrant.
“To which the officers said something along the lines of I was lucky there wasn’t a gun in my face, which kind of stunned me,” Mr Hale said, adding he wants the police’s body cam footage to be released.
Mr Hale also alleged one of the officers said: “I know you think you have rights, but under the health act we can come in your house” and said one of the officers touched him without a glove on.
Mr Hale told 3AW he showed the police officers his garage door remote to prove it was his home and “eventually” by giving his license plate number the officers let him go.
A ‘state of disaster’ was declared in Victoria at the start of August, in response to the surge in coronavirus cases, and the declaration gives police greater powers to enforce the public health directive.
Yahoo News Australia has contacted Victoria Police for comment.
Victoria Police deny the allegations and told 3AW they asked Mr Hale about a stolen car which was near his residence.
Police said the officers attempted to do a routine check and spoke to Mr Hale about not wearing a face covering and left the premise after confirming Mr Hale’s identity and address, with no further action taken, 3AW reported.
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