The thousands of anti-vaxxer protesters who took to the streets of cities across Australia to protest against lockdowns and the coronavirus vaccine rollout will be the most likely to die if the mass demonstrations trigger a Covid-19 superspreader event, a Nobel Prize-winning doctor has warned.
Mass demonstrations were held in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on Saturday to rally against the latest cycle of harsh Covid lockdowns which have subjected 13 million Australians to harsh stay-at-home restrictions.
Activists in Melbourne chanted anti-vax slogans and set off smoke flares as they called for 'Freedom Day', while in Sydney 57 residents were taken away in handcuffs as protesters hurled pot plants at mounted officers and frenzied crowds shouted repeatedly at police 'you serve us!'
At one point during the chaos, protesters were filmed crash tackling a policeman into a garden bed in front of Town Hall station in the city's CBD as officers attempted to make an arrest.
Two of the estimated 3,500 protesters at Sydney's rally were international Samoan rugby league player Frank Winterstein and his wife Taylor - both of whom are active anti-vaccination campaigners.
'Be prepared for all scenarios including arrests and fines,' Ms Winterstein posted on social media while sharing footage of the rallies while not wearing a mask
'I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees.
'There is more of us than there is them, they cannot arrest us all.'
Decorated Australian immunologist Professor Peter Doherty warned those who are the most likely to die from the virus are the unvaccinated, adding that even if most of the population has received the jab, the virus can still be passed on to those who haven't.
He noted that 97 per cent of patients in hospital with Covid-19 in the US were unvaccinated - a stark reminder to Australians to roll up their sleeves and get the jab.
The warning came as fears grew that Victoria's lockdown could be extended if Melbourne's mass demonstrations lead to a spike in coronavirus transmission in the city.
'The people who will die will be the unvaccinated,' he told The Daily Telegraph.
NRL star Frank Winterstein and his wife Taylor were among the thousands of protesters who took to the streets of Sydney to protest against the city's lockdown
One woman cheers with joy during the protests in Sydney with thousands turning out to demand an end to lockdowns
Protesters were met by mounted police outside Town Hall in Sydney (pictured) with no group prepared to back down
Protests were also held in Brisbane against lockdowns despite the Queensland capital not being under stay-at-home orders
Protesters are pictured as Bourke Street Mall during the anti-coronavirus lockdown protest in Melbourne on Saturday
Huge protests in Melbourne could see Victoria's lockdown extended, police warned after so-called 'Freedom Day' demonstrators chanted anti-vax slogans, blocked traffic and set off flares outside Parliament
Anti-lockdown protests in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday led to dozens of arrests of demonstrators who defied stay-at-home orders as they called for an end to Australia's strategy of lockdowns to limit the spread of Covid-19
The demonstrations are a response to Covid lockdowns imposed in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, with more than half the country's 25million people ordered to stay at home over an outbreak which began in Sydney's east
There are now fears the reckless protests across the country could morph into devastating Covid super spreader events, which - ironically - could see lockdowns extended
'While vaccinated people are more than 90 per cent protected against hospitalisation, they can still become infected and transmit. Once we open up, globally or locally, unvaccinated people will be at major risk.'
While vaccinations are effective in lowering transmission of the deadly virus they don't eradicate the spread completely.
'You can't rely on just sliding by because other people are vaccinated, you have to be vaccinated yourself. It is a responsibility to get vaccinated for their own sake and the sake of their families,' he said.
Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton also hit out at protesters, saying the demonstrations would not free Australians from Covid and warned the pandemic was far from over.
Police made six arrests in Melbourne on Saturday and are hunting for a protester who allegedly threw a large bollard at a mounted officer.
The charges stemming from that protest included drug possession and refusing to provide contact details to police and at least one was charged with assaulting an emergency worker.
Pictured are protesters - one wearing a Spiderman costume - demonstrating against coronavirus lockdowns in Brisbane
Brisbane is not in lockdown this weekend but that did not stop large crowds gathering in the Queensland city to demonstrate against coronavirus restrictions
A further 70 demonstrators in Melbourne face fines but police believe that number will increase.
Mounted police in the Victorian city were also attacked by activists.
Victoria Assistant Police Commissioner Luke Cornelius said the protesters were 'selfish' and their actions could lead to the state's lockdown being extended.
'It beggars belief that the protest today could, if mass spreading occurs, result in an extension of the very thing they are protesting for — an end to the current lockdown and a reopening of business, which is something we are all working so hard to achieve,' he said.
Wild protests erupted in Melbourne and around Australia on Saturday and thousands of reckless residents demanded an end to lockdowns
Police are seen firing capsicum spray towards protesters that selfishly put others at risk amid a recent Covid outbreak
One woman dressed in all black without a mask marched through the anti-lockdown protest in Melbourne
A policeman is seen covered in ink after being abused by violent protesters in Sydney on Saturday
With the help of his colleagues the young officer is seen trying to wipe off the ink that was thrown onto his uniform and skin
Police had no choice but to carry one man into custody after a brazen performance during Melbourne's anti-lockdown rally
Some protesters took it upon themselves to set off smoke bombs during protests in Melbourne where six were arrested
One man with blood dripping from his nose is seen being walked away in handcuffs during violent anti-lockdown protests in Sydney on Saturday
Police were forced to crash tackle many protesters to the ground during the rallies in Sydney
One horrifying video showed the reckless protesters hurling pot plants towards mounted police in Sydney's CBD
A woman sobs while being led out of Victoria Park by two policemen during violent protests in Sydney
One officer had to hold down a protester in Sydney's Victoria Park as anti-lockdown rallies escalated around the country
Another protester flanked by police officers is arrested during rallies over the weekend on Sydney
One protestor tried his luck to escape police during a rally in Melbourne but the reckless man was eventually tackled to the ground
Another man is seen on the ground after being tackled by police in Sydney as thousands gathered to demonstrate against the city's lockdowns
Sutton took to Twitter to point out the irony in protestors claiming their cause was 'freedom'.
'I love freedom. Who doesn't love freedom? I want freedom from being amongst the over 4 million official (and likely 10 million actual) Covid deaths globally,' he wrote.
'Let's not pretend that 'marching for freedom' will actually deliver the precious freedom that we all need and desire.
'New variants could still be catastrophic for much of the world - Australia included.'
He said 'giving up' on trying to prevent Covid spread could be disastrous.
'Letting infections potentially overwhelm our health system will cause illness and death at an awful scale,' he said.
Earlier, horrifying footage from the Sydney rally showed angry protesters attacking police and hurling pot plants at officers on horseback.
One man was photographed punching a police horse, which was later confirmed to be unharmed.
Frenzied crowds were heard screaming 'you serve us!' to police as a group of protesters were filmed crash tackling officers into a garden bed in front of Town Hall station.
At least five officers were seen struggling to take down a single protester, before then carrying him away in handcuffs as crowds of demonstrators hurled abuse at police.
A group of mounted officers trying to disperse the crowds were also seen trying to dodge pot plants and water bottles being thrown at them as the protesters refused to back down.
The demonstrations, which were also seen in Brisbane, are a response to Covid lockdowns imposed in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, with more than half the country's 25million people ordered to stay at home over an outbreak which began in Sydney's east.
But there are now fears the reckless protests across the country could morph into devastating Covid super spreader events.
NSW Police Minister David Elliott labelled those in the rallies as 'boofheads' and said 90 had been fined across the state with more arrests expected.
'What we saw today was 3,500 very selfish boofheads — people that thought the law didn't apply to them,' he said.
'If we don't see a [Covid] spike in the areas these protesters came from in the next week I'll be very, very surprised,' Elliott said.
'It was just a whole lot of halfwits. There is no doubt in my mind that at least one individual there today had COVID, it is statistically impossible for us not to consider that.
'I'm appealing to all 3,500 people to get tested tomorrow, if not for themselves for the sake of their family and friends.'
One vile protester was photographed punching a police horse in the mouth during Sydney's chaotic protests
Chaos in Sydney: Tens of thousands swarmed George Street in the CBD for the anti-lockdown protest on Saturday
More than 7,000 protesters also walked out in Brisbane on Saturday
One Queenslander carries a 'Trump was right' poster during an anti-lockdown rally on Saturday
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also unleashed on the protesters and said punishments would be handed down to those who broke the law.
'I am utterly disgusted by the illegal protesters in the City today whose selfish actions have compromised the safety of all of us' said Ms Berejiklian.
'The protestors have shown utter contempt for their fellow citizens who are currently doing it tough.
'I want to thank the brave police officers who put their own safety on the line to ensure the protest action ceased.'
The police minister also said a team of 22 detectives would be working tirelessly to identify as many of the illegal protesters as possible.
Frenzied crowds were also heard shouting 'freedom' and anti-vaccine conspiracy slogans swarmed Haymarket in Sydney's city centre from midday on Saturday, just moments after NSW Health's Jeremy McAnulty declared the area a virus hotspot.
Some carried signs with disturbing messages such as 'no tests, no cases, no lockdown' while one woman proudly donned a jumper with the words 'Covid is a scam' knitted across it.
Others held signs high above their heads urging Australians to 'wake up' and 'get off your knees', while another cardboard poster declared the message: 'The new world order is the real virus'.
One group of five protesters, all who wouldn't be named, told Daily Mail Australia they'd travelled from the Covid-ravaged south-west of Sydney for the rally.
'We don't give a f*** mate, this lockdown is killing us,' one said.
The streets of Melbourne were flooded with protesters, with some letting off orange flares as others clashed with police
Essential exercise? Two women wearing activewear were spotted in the middle of a chanting crowd in Victoria Park, where the rally began before moving through to the CBD
Thousands turned out in Sydney and Melbourne (pictured) demanding an end to Covid-19 lockdowns
One woman in Sydney is seen proudly holding a sign which reads: 'The new world order is the real virus'
Another Sydneysider proudly donned a homemade jumper with the words 'Covid is a scam' knitted across it
One man in Sydney was seen urging Australians to 'wake up and get off your knees' during reckless protests on Saturday
One woman climbed onto the top of a Woolworths store to demonstrate her ridiculous views on Covid and lockdowns
One maskless woman appears to be enjoying herself during the anti-lockdown protest in Sydney
A horde of residents donned 'freedom of choice' t-shirts during the rally on Saturday. There are fears the protests across the country could spark a huge Covid super spreader event
More ralliers climbed on top of a store with one bizarrely wearing a Gladys Berejiklian mask while they expressed their ridiculous views
Mounted police and riot squad officers were seen trying to contain chanting crowds and direct the flow of protesters near Broadway as traffic backed up along the city's busiest road.
Dozens of protesters climbed the roof of a Woolworths store and nearby train station, some holding signs reading: 'Western Sydney Lives Matter'.
The group had also hung up a banner reading 'Freedom'.
Police told the crowd gathered outside Town Hall about 2.40pm that they need to disperse if they 'don't want to get pepper sprayed'.
One Sydney resident took to Twitter about midday to say she
