A man was arrested and dozens sprayed with cayenne pepper by police after a crowd of Novak Djokovic fans stormed his lawyer’s office after a court ordered his release from detention. immigration.
Key points:
- Some fans accused police of using excessive force
- Man arrested and likely to be charged with assault and rioting behavior
- Fans got loud as a car exited the building, but it’s unclear if Djokovic was inside
Fans at the Flinders Lane office in Melbourne’s CBD grew noisy when a black car pulled out of the Rialto Towers parking lot, with a man jumping onto the vehicle, in which fans believed Djokovic was traveling.
Officers used pepper spray to disperse the group of people and arrested a 27-year-old man from Hampton, who is likely to be charged with assaulting police and acting in a tumultuous manner.
Victoria Police said two officers sustained minor injuries that did not require treatment.
Police said the use of pepper spray was necessary because of the “aggressive behavior of the crowd”.
The streets in the area were then blanketed in milk, as crowds tried to rinse the spray from their eyes.
Some of those gathered claimed that the use of the spray by the police constituted excessive use of force.
“We surrounded his car. Big problem,” said one woman.
In his only public comment since his release from detention, Djokovic said he was grateful for the court’s ruling and hoped to compete in the Australian Open.
His fate remains in the hands of Immigration Minister Alex Hawke, who could choose to revoke his visa regardless of the court’s verdict.
Government MP and former tennis pro John Alexander has urged his colleague not to kick the Serbian out, arguing it is not in Australia’s national interest.
