Investigators are probing whether an insider working on Melbourne‘s Carols by Candlelight may have helped two pro-Palestine protesters hijack the stage.
The Christmas Eve debacle saw protesters interrupt the family-friendly event, with one waving a Palestine flag and briefly snatching the microphone away from stunned hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo.
The embarrassing lapse in security is the subject of discussions between Arts Centre Melbourne, police and sponsors.
Organisers said event staff were suspicious as to how easily the protesters were able to access the stage – yet the performers were the subject of strict security checks.
Arts Centre Melbourne said in a statement: ‘Everyone has the right to protest peacefully, but not at the expense of the safety of others.
Organisers are reviewing whether a pro-Palestine protester at Melbourne’s Carols by Candlelight had any inside help before she grabbed the microphone from Nine hosts David Campbell and Sarah Abo
The protesters managed to unfurl the Palestinian flag next to the orchestra pit before they were dragged offstage
‘The matter has been reported to and is being managed by Victoria Police and it would be inappropriate to comment further.’
A 21-year-old woman from Brunswick has been charged with possession of a controlled weapon following the protest while the second protester was given a move-on direction by police.
Daily Mail Australia revealed this week the protestor who snatched the microphone goes by the handle @violentwaitress online and belongs to pro-Palestine activism group Block the Dock.
The group aims to disrupt Israeli shipping routes in protest against the country’s violent retaliation to October 7 terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas.
The pro-Palestine activist defended her actions when contacted by Daily Mail Australia – despite the stunt sparking intense backlash because the event is strictly non-political.
She appeared to harbour a hatred for police on Instagram and championed a raft of other causes including support for sex workers and bolstering rights for members of the Indigenous, LGBTQI, and refugee communities.
The woman supports a raft of other activism projects which are plastered across her social media page
Some were furious the family event was infiltrated by political protests (above)
In the hours after the disruption, she shared a series of posts to her Instagram story written by fellow members of her cause offering their support over the stunt.
One post, featuring footage of the protest, said: ‘Christmas is cancelled m*****f***rs’ while another by activism group Whistleblowers, Activists & Communities Alliance (WACA) read: ‘Imagine booing a woman saying kids are dying in Gaza’.
A third post also hit out at backlash online after outraged parents slammed the protesters for scaring children sitting in the audience with their families.
There was also a group of children performing on stage when the havoc unfolded who had to be rushed to safety.
‘I don’t give a f*** about your carols,’ the third post, which featured an image of the Grinch, began.
‘And every kid in that audience is gonna [sic] grow up and be Pro-Palestine or they’re gonna [sic] grow up and be a zionist and tbh [to be honest] we will handle that when they’re older but right now they’re fine and nobody was traumatised.’
Concluding the highlight reel, the woman shared a selfie, writing: ‘Anyway, I’m done goodnight xx’.
After the protest, the woman reshared a series of posts about her stunt to her Instagram story before signing off for the night
Furious parents later flocked online to blast the protesters for interrupting the Christmas family-friendly event.
‘So disrespectful at this time of year and disgusting subjecting children to this commotion,’ one woman said.
‘Carols by candlelight is not the time or place,’ another said.
But others lauded the protesters actions and threw their support behind the cause with one saying: ‘If the Palestine protest at carols by candle light makes you uncomfortable. good’.
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin described the protesters as ‘extremists’.
‘You can always count on anti-Israel extremists to make everything about them and to appall decent, ordinary people,’ Mr Ryvchin said.
‘The chorus of boos tells them loud and clear they’re not wanted.’