Rebel News Podcast - Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini arrested first day on the job at Australian anti-lockdown rally

00:00:00.000 Hello, my Rebels. Today we go deep into what happened to my friend Avi Amini,

00:00:04.360 an Australian journalist who joined us on Friday and was arrested on Saturday.

00:00:09.800 We'll show you everything that happened.

00:00:12.220 If you're listening to the podcast, I guess you'll have to hear it.

00:00:14.760 And I think it'll make sense, but I wish you could see it.

00:00:17.440 We got it all on tape.

00:00:19.180 To do that, just subscribe to what we call Rebel News Plus.

00:00:22.540 It's the video version of these podcasts.

00:00:24.580 Just go to rebelnews.com, click subscribe, and you'll get not only this daily podcast in video form,

00:00:32.540 but also weekly podcasts by Sheila Gunn-Reed and David Menzies.

00:00:37.160 All right, here's the podcast.

00:00:43.180 You're listening to a Rebel News Podcast.

00:00:45.620 Tonight, we hired a new reporter on Friday.

00:00:57.040 He was arrested on Saturday.

00:00:59.380 It's September 8th, and this is the Ezra LeVant Show.

00:01:01.660 Why should others go to jail when you're a biggest carbon consumer I know?

00:01:07.480 There's 8,500 customers here, and you won't give them an answer.

00:01:11.540 The only thing I have to say to the government about why I publish it

00:01:15.060 is because it's my bloody right to do so.

00:01:22.260 I'm sure you know my friend Avi Yamini.

00:01:24.300 We talked to him just a few weeks ago about the extreme lockdown in the Australian state of Victoria.

00:01:32.260 Avi is based in Melbourne, Victoria's largest city,

00:01:35.800 and he told us what it's like to be under a curfew when you're not allowed to leave your home,

00:01:41.160 but for a few hours a day, not allowed to go beyond a few kilometers.

00:01:44.960 It's the most shocking lockdown in the entire free world,

00:01:48.300 and I might even say worse than China itself.

00:01:53.720 In Victoria, police will literally come up to you on the street,

00:01:57.860 hold you down, and force a face mask on you.

00:02:00.780 If you don't have a face mask, they'll arrest you.

00:02:03.920 If you made a Facebook post about opposing the lockdown,

00:02:08.080 they'll come into your house with a search warrant,

00:02:10.420 even if you're a pregnant mum.

00:02:12.060 Remember this clip?

00:02:12.840 Yeah, you can show me your search warrant before you go through my house.

00:02:16.880 Search warrant for what?

00:02:25.340 Now, what I want to explain to you is, if you want to listen, you've got your phone going.

00:02:30.660 Yeah, I do.

00:02:31.040 Now, you're under arrest in relation to incitement.

00:02:35.000 Incitement?

00:02:35.500 Yeah, but you're not obliged to say I do anything,

00:02:38.260 but anything you say I do may be given in evidence.

00:02:40.380 Excuse me, incitement for what?

00:02:42.000 What on earth?

00:02:43.680 Excuse me, what on earth?

00:02:45.660 Just put your phone down.

00:02:46.860 Can you, like, report this?

00:02:48.260 Because I'm in my pyjamas.

00:02:49.120 What's this?

00:02:49.600 I had an ultrasound in an hour because I'm pregnant.

00:02:51.060 Yeah, she's pregnant, so... 1.00

00:02:52.980 We'll take it easy.

00:02:54.340 What's this about?

00:02:55.220 If I had an ultrasound in an hour.

00:02:57.720 Let me finish and I'll explain.

00:02:59.000 In relation to a Facebook post,

00:03:00.920 in relation to a lockdown protest you put on for Saturday.

00:03:05.120 Yeah, and I wasn't breaking any laws by doing that.

00:03:07.680 You are, actually.

00:03:08.540 You are breaking it all.

00:03:09.360 That's why I'm arresting you, in relation to incitement.

00:03:11.380 How can you arrest her?

00:03:12.860 In front of my two children.

00:03:14.100 That's Victoria, Australia, one of the freest places in the world,

00:03:19.300 very much like Canada, a member of the Five Eyes Security Group.

00:03:24.120 That's Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, and the US.

00:03:27.280 These are the freest places in the world.

00:03:28.920 Australia, who fought by our side in two world wars, Korea and elsewhere.

00:03:33.940 This is Australia.

00:03:36.060 You bet it is.

00:03:37.600 And Victoria has the toughest lockdown laws around.

00:03:41.060 Well, we hired Avi.

00:03:42.660 He started on Friday.

00:03:44.580 And on Saturday, he got in his car and he went to a protest against the lockdown.

00:03:52.080 Now, to even be able to do that, he had to fill out forms and get permits

00:03:56.420 because they literally have check stops on the road where they demand your papers.

00:04:02.040 Well, he had filled out all the correct paperwork.

00:04:04.300 So they let him through grudgingly at the protest himself.

00:04:09.120 He was not there to protest.

00:04:10.520 He was there to report on it, just like the mainstream media from Australia did,

00:04:14.860 including legacy media like Channel 7 and Channel 9, as they were called.

00:04:19.620 Avi did great.

00:04:20.740 He's very professional.

00:04:22.480 He's done a lot of videos, not just for us, but for Tommy Robinson's news channel and on his own.

00:04:29.000 I don't know if you recall, but Avi did some amazing work under difficult conditions for us a year ago in Hong Kong.

00:04:36.280 I'll come back to the Australia story in a moment.

00:04:38.460 But remember when we sent Avi to Hong Kong to do Hong Kong reports?

00:04:43.240 Some incredible footage from that.

00:04:45.080 We're here at Wampo Station, one of many little protests that have broken out across the city.

00:04:51.140 We've got word that there's a bigger gathering at a local police station.

00:04:55.480 So we're going to go check it out.

00:04:57.880 Tomorrow there is a mass protest in Hong Kong, which is organised.

00:05:01.860 And they're expecting up to half a million people there.

00:05:05.120 This is just an ordinary night here in Hong Kong and one of many across the city where people are just spontaneously gathering.

00:05:13.800 So what we've got here is you've got hundreds of police in full riot gear,

00:05:20.200 looking like they're in formation, getting ready to move on the crowds.

00:05:24.380 And this is crowds of, you know, people literally wearing protective gear.

00:05:33.420 A peaceful protest is what I would call this.

00:05:36.940 Everyone's been pretty nice to us.

00:05:39.820 I haven't seen any violence or intimidation or anything that would require police responding with such brute.

00:05:54.380 So you can see how they're, how they're taking, they're taking over an entire block.

00:06:08.300 You've got, if you look down there, you've got massive police presence surrounding this area.

00:06:17.320 The tension is huge at the moment.

00:06:20.060 It is like, you can feel like it's almost an invasion about to happen.

00:06:30.820 It's as if the crowds have doubled or quadrupled in minutes.

00:06:35.940 It's surreal.

00:06:37.660 What's interesting to note is that whilst they're trying to hold up, take the traffic down and block the cars, they never get violent.

00:06:46.020 So if a driver really pushes his way through a crowd, they let him through.

00:06:50.820 And I've noticed that each time now, I only imagine over the next half an hour, they're going to block the road off.

00:06:58.600 That's what they're trying to do.

00:06:59.500 They're trying to cause mass disruption.

00:07:02.060 I think my favorite moment from his entire trip to Hong Kong, when he came across this guy and asked, do you have any advice for Donald Trump?

00:07:20.540 Oh my God, it was such a funny answer.

00:07:23.300 This video clip has been seen probably 20 million times in different formats.

00:07:29.060 Remember this?

00:07:29.740 What's your message to, have you seen Donald Trump?

00:07:33.500 Do you think he should step in?

00:07:34.860 Donald Trump, don't trust China. 1.00

00:07:36.440 China is asshole. 1.00

00:07:38.660 It's so funny. 1.00

00:07:41.300 Avi later bumped into that guy who said he was a bit of a celebrity from that clip.

00:07:45.120 Anyways, Avi is courageous and he is willing to stare down the police, the communist Chinese police in Hong Kong.

00:07:54.480 But they never grabbed him, threw him to the ground and arrested him like they did on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia.

00:08:02.800 I want to show you now Avi's full video.

00:08:06.940 That's a few minutes.

00:08:07.960 It's more than a few minutes.

00:08:09.000 So maybe get yourself a cup of coffee or tea and watch this.

00:08:12.860 It's important that you see the whole thing.

00:08:14.400 Avi is such a consummate storyteller, but it's not just a story he tells.

00:08:19.640 Storyteller is the wrong word.

00:08:20.500 He's more like a litigator putting a case to a jury.

00:08:24.880 He brings his facts.

00:08:26.140 He brings his argument.

00:08:27.380 He anticipates objections.

00:08:29.620 He lays it out so clearly.

00:08:31.980 I want you to see it in its entirety rather than me just telling you about it.

00:08:36.380 So don't go anywhere.

00:08:37.800 I'll be here.

00:08:39.140 Watch this video by Avi that we put up online yesterday.

00:08:42.980 It already has more than a quarter million views.

00:08:46.080 I'll come right back on the other side.

00:08:47.420 Take a look at this.

00:08:48.520 I want to start this report by firstly thanking everyone for all the love and support you've shown since the footage of my unprovoked and violent arrest on Saturday was released.

00:09:00.660 And an extra special thanks to the over 10,000 people who have already signed my petition.

00:09:07.040 It's humbling.

00:09:08.300 If you haven't signed it, I'm sure, after watching this report, you're going to want to.

00:09:11.820 So when you're done, head over to StandWithAvi.com and sign and share my petition demanding an end to the Victorian police state that detains journalists for doing our job.

00:09:23.300 This report is going to show you what really happened on Saturday from the moment I head to the protest.

00:09:30.820 It exposes how police are abusing their new state of emergency powers and even worse, how the mainstream media is helping them get away with it.

00:09:41.340 Watch it from the beginning to the end and then share it far and wide.

00:09:45.540 This is one of the protests that I actually have no idea how it's going to end today.

00:09:52.860 We're now driving to the Freedom Day rally, the anti-lockdown protest that has been banned in Melbourne.

00:09:59.940 You've seen over the past week, we've seen Victoria police heavy-handedly kicking in doors, arresting pregnant women in their homes in an effort to stop this rally from happening today.

00:10:12.820 Police warn that the entrances into the city are going to be blocked, so we're expecting probably a roadblock here.

00:10:19.840 You're going to live it, experience it.

00:10:21.580 I'm going to take you all the way into the city and then to the protest and we're going to report on what's actually happening there because we know that the mainstream media is not going to give you the truth.

00:10:30.600 Here we go.

00:10:31.040 This is Dictator Dan speaking right now, live on the way.

00:10:33.960 There's two active cases.

00:10:45.160 They arrested her in front of her children and dragged her out of her home in cuffs. 0.94

00:10:51.220 For two active cases, there's over 100,000 people who live in Ballarat.

00:10:56.000 The chances of her protest causing an outbreak, having any sort of risk, is near to none.

00:11:06.740 The crazy thing is during Black Lives Matter, they allowed those protests to happen where the threat was far more real at the time. 0.67

00:11:16.020 Here we go.

00:11:16.480 We've got a roadblock ahead.

00:11:17.440 Apparently, COVID Compliance Checks stands for, is a euphemism for, shutting down free protest.

00:11:28.420 Here we go, guys.

00:11:34.600 Three in the car and they're filming is the problem.

00:11:38.120 How you going, mate?

00:11:38.780 Not too bad.

00:11:39.620 How are you?

00:11:39.960 Yeah, good.

00:11:40.560 There's my work permit.

00:11:41.600 What's your name?

00:11:42.400 Avi.

00:11:43.020 Avi Yamini.

00:11:43.580 That's my work permit, mate.

00:11:44.540 Your last name?

00:11:45.900 Yamini.

00:11:46.560 Oh, okay.

00:11:46.960 Internet publishing and broadcasting for news media purposes.

00:11:50.380 There's no dramas.

00:11:51.340 As per the guidelines.

00:11:53.140 Absolutely.

00:11:53.980 We've got three permits if you want.

00:11:55.680 That's fine.

00:11:59.680 They're all from the same house, Iggy.

00:12:01.520 Not from the same house.

00:12:02.520 We've got three separate permits if you need.

00:12:04.380 Yeah, but you're travelling inside a car.

00:12:06.860 That's part of the work.

00:12:08.140 Three people.

00:12:08.900 That's the work.

00:12:09.540 The job is the whole journey.

00:12:12.400 So that's part of...

00:12:14.220 Can you describe the work to them?

00:12:15.840 I'm a journalist.

00:12:16.820 Yep.

00:12:17.200 For Rebel News.

00:12:18.080 Under the Yamini report.

00:12:19.800 And this is my sound guy.

00:12:21.240 That's my cameraman.

00:12:23.000 And our job today is to cover what is happening in the CBD.

00:12:26.700 So we're going to ask you to...

00:12:28.780 We're going to ask you to part there so we can have a try.

00:12:31.140 No problems.

00:12:32.240 Thank you.

00:12:34.280 Here we go.

00:12:35.040 I have it on my phone.

00:12:41.220 Yes.

00:12:41.640 Now where's your permit, dude?

00:12:43.400 Guys, can you provide the permits?

00:12:45.660 So they're obviously...

00:12:46.460 You've got a new permit.

00:12:47.460 Yeah, they've got the permits.

00:12:48.520 Give me the permits.

00:12:49.740 You can.

00:12:51.000 That's one permit.

00:12:52.280 Where's your work here?

00:12:54.780 Okay, so we're starting at the Shrine and then we're following it through to Parliament wherever

00:12:58.840 it's going.

00:12:59.400 That's what it says on the permit as per the regulation.

00:13:02.580 Can I ask you to...

00:13:03.540 Basically, Channel 9, Channel 7, they're all coming here.

00:13:06.720 Are you going to question them the same way?

00:13:09.360 This is what we're doing here.

00:13:10.740 Okay, I'm just asking because you seem to not understand what the media does.

00:13:15.460 This is what we're doing.

00:13:16.840 Okay, here's the permits.

00:13:17.900 Here's the permits.

00:13:18.640 We are just doing the job.

00:13:19.960 No, that's fine.

00:13:20.780 That's fine.

00:13:21.100 That's not what we're talking about.

00:13:22.060 That's fine.

00:13:22.460 So let me make it clear.

00:13:24.160 We're going to cover the events in the CBD and the roadblocks and everything that was announced.

00:13:29.820 That's why we have three in a car. 0.99

00:13:31.260 We have the permits as per the...

00:13:33.060 Permits?

00:13:33.520 Here we go.

00:13:34.100 Thanks, mate.

00:13:34.680 And we...

00:13:35.800 Give me the ID from everyone?

00:13:36.500 Yep, give me the IDs, boys.

00:13:38.160 You see it?

00:13:38.800 Yeah, mate.

00:13:39.160 I think you know who I am.

00:13:42.540 How you doing?

00:13:43.200 You having a good day?

00:13:43.860 Good, mate.

00:13:44.800 In our work, you've got to stay very, very carefully within the guidelines because unlike the mainstream

00:13:52.300 media, I highly doubt they're doing this to the mainstream media.

00:13:55.340 Thank you, sir.

00:13:56.240 Yes, bear with me.

00:13:57.020 Yeah, no problem.

00:13:57.940 We're bearing right with you.

00:13:59.700 The world is very interested to see how they're going to react to media covering what's happening

00:14:06.200 in Victoria.

00:14:07.660 Okay, thank you very much.

00:14:09.760 We have checked.

00:14:10.500 You're all right.

00:14:10.720 Thank you very much, sir.

00:14:11.940 Thank you for your service.

00:14:12.960 You're all right.

00:14:14.000 This is a crucial moment because police pulled us over.

00:14:16.800 They challenged me a little bit.

00:14:18.000 They didn't want me to go in, but I provided all the required legal documentation.

00:14:22.040 And in his words, they checked our credentials and were all right to go.

00:14:26.860 From here, we head straight to the Shrine of Remembrance where the protests were planned to start.

00:14:33.460 I began doing my job just like any of the other journalists there.

00:14:38.440 20 against one.

00:14:39.480 He just said his opinion.

00:14:40.640 And just like the other journalists there, I followed the protesters as they marched

00:14:44.300 for a good couple of hours to Albert Park.

00:14:47.700 Over the next few days, I'll release a lot more of what happened on the march.

00:14:51.180 I mean, like the stuff that you won't see in the mainstream media.

00:14:54.540 But this report, I want to focus on how the police behaved as they trapped the protesters

00:15:00.640 by the Albert Park lake.

00:15:02.840 So there's been numerous, quite intense, heavy-handed arrests here today.

00:15:12.700 We walked around for, there was probably a good two hours where there was no arrests, no

00:15:18.760 anything.

00:15:19.640 It was quite peaceful until...

00:15:22.000 I'm just going to stop here for a second.

00:15:32.440 As you can see, I was just doing my job.

00:15:35.580 There was no one even around me.

00:15:38.080 The bloke marched up to me while I was doing a piece to camera.

00:15:42.540 You can actually hear me laugh because I seriously thought he was joking.

00:15:47.180 If you watched my content before, you'll know that sometimes cops walk up to me and banter

00:15:51.820 a little bit.

00:15:52.660 You know, I guess they like my work or they appreciate it or they find it funny or they

00:15:55.980 see my sense of humor and they join in.

00:15:57.420 But I quickly realised that this power-hungry commander was not bantering.

00:16:02.560 No arrests, no anything.

00:16:04.240 It was quite peaceful until...

00:16:06.200 This bloke here is not here for any purposes or reasons.

00:16:08.780 He's under arrest.

00:16:11.480 But this guy here is going to be placed under arrest right now.

00:16:14.240 I'm under arrest.

00:16:16.660 I'm media.

00:16:18.200 I am media.

00:16:19.520 I'm media.

00:16:20.380 I've got my permit in my pocket.

00:16:26.160 My permit is in my pocket.

00:16:28.340 I'm fine.

00:16:29.200 I'm fine.

00:16:29.640 I've got my permit in my pocket.

00:16:31.580 I work for Rebel News.

00:16:33.760 I am lawfully here.

00:16:35.640 I've got my permit in my pocket.

00:16:38.420 My permit is in my pocket.

00:16:40.560 I'm fine.

00:16:41.180 I'm fine.

00:16:42.240 I've got my permit in my pocket.

00:16:44.100 I work for Rebel News.

00:16:46.120 I am lawfully here.

00:16:47.700 Yeah.

00:16:47.800 Can you grab that?

00:16:51.720 That's my mic cover there.

00:16:53.700 And can you give it to my staff?

00:16:55.880 Bend this one, bend this one. 0.54

00:16:59.340 Can you grab the mic and the mic cover there?

00:17:04.020 At this point, police forcibly take me away

00:17:06.680 with my hands still cuffed behind my back

00:17:08.440 like I'm some sort of violent criminal.

00:17:10.880 But what they didn't realise is I was still mic'd up

00:17:13.540 and was recording everything they were about to say.

00:17:16.700 So, what did I do exactly?

00:17:19.480 Hinder what? How did I hinder?

00:17:21.740 How did I hinder?

00:17:23.140 I've got my permit in my back pocket.

00:17:25.400 I got a pass. I was at the roadblock.

00:17:26.980 I got let in properly.

00:17:29.320 I followed all the Chief Health Officer's

00:17:32.000 all the Chief Health Officer's directions.

00:17:37.800 I had the work permit

00:17:39.140 and it was checked as I came in here by Victoria Police.

00:17:42.760 So, I've got it all on camera.

00:17:44.540 Yeah, no. You're here for a hinder.

00:17:47.480 What hinder? What's a hinder?

00:17:48.440 Hinder police. 0.55

00:17:49.280 What did I hinder police with?

00:17:51.660 How did I hinder police?

00:17:54.040 How did I hinder police?

00:17:56.580 Is that on? Is that camera on?

00:17:58.000 Yeah, it's on.

00:17:58.380 It tends to go missing.

00:18:01.200 So, how did I hinder police allegedly?

00:18:03.400 How did I allegedly hinder police?

00:18:07.160 That's what I'd like to know.

00:18:08.400 You've placed me under arrest.

00:18:12.600 You haven't told me how I've hindered police at all.

00:18:15.080 But we told you you're under arrest, don't we?

00:18:19.540 Yeah. On what basis?

00:18:21.840 For what?

00:18:23.460 Basically, they couldn't get me

00:18:24.860 for breaching any COVID restrictions.

00:18:27.140 So, they had to make up a hindering allegation.

00:18:29.580 Only, there's one problem which you all witnessed.

00:18:34.240 I was alone with no one around me.

00:18:36.320 I wasn't stopping anyone from doing anything,

00:18:39.340 let alone hindering police.

00:18:41.460 But the arresting officer then goes off and talks

00:18:44.760 and left me alone with two other cops

00:18:46.240 holding me still with my hands tightly cuffed

00:18:49.420 because I was some sort of threat.

00:18:51.280 So, I thought I might as well chat to them.

00:18:53.460 After all, I was there to get some answers.

00:18:56.160 I feel for you.

00:18:57.600 Why didn't you think they did this with Black Lives Matter?

00:18:59.960 Why didn't they?

00:19:01.440 It wasn't illegal.

00:19:02.980 It was illegal to protest in Black Lives Matter, mate. 0.76

00:19:05.480 It wasn't clever.

00:19:06.460 What? It was.

00:19:07.020 It was on stage three.

00:19:07.960 It was staged.

00:19:08.680 So, Ballarat's stage three.

00:19:10.580 Ballarat's the same.

00:19:11.240 And why is Ballarat illegal?

00:19:12.740 Your opinion?

00:19:13.820 I don't have an opinion.

00:19:14.560 I'm asking facts.

00:19:15.780 I don't need to answer your facts.

00:19:17.580 I'm having a conversation.

00:19:18.580 You got me handcuffed.

00:19:19.740 I agree.

00:19:20.280 I feel for you, bro.

00:19:21.400 I feel for you.

00:19:22.220 I feel for you that you have to do this.

00:19:24.060 I just want to understand why there's such a heavy-handed response

00:19:26.960 to a protest that I'm not even a part of.

00:19:28.880 I don't actually agree with half these guys.

00:19:30.580 But the fact that you're going in like this,

00:19:32.780 arresting journalists because why?

00:19:35.760 Because it's stage four.

00:19:37.220 But Ballarat's stage three.

00:19:38.480 The police, you've seen that footage, yeah?

00:19:41.980 You're not Daniel Andrews.

00:19:42.920 You're not going to deny that one.

00:19:44.840 To be honest, I don't really care.

00:19:46.760 And right there is the problem.

00:19:48.960 The government has given these unprecedented powers

00:19:51.640 to a pack of power-hungry people who don't actually care.

00:19:57.160 Then suddenly I noticed, when we were standing there,

00:20:00.060 a police officer from the police media unit walking by.

00:20:04.760 Police media unit.

00:20:06.780 How do you feel about them arresting somebody, a journalist?

00:20:11.860 I'm here as a journalist.

00:20:13.160 I have the passes.

00:20:15.120 They've got all my things there.

00:20:16.780 No, they've just arrested me out of nowhere.

00:20:19.080 What's your name, mate?

00:20:20.220 Avraham Ymini.

00:20:21.960 I work for Rebel News.

00:20:23.520 Have you worked with me?

00:20:24.580 I've got my permit on me.

00:20:25.960 They've got it there.

00:20:26.560 They've arrested me for it.

00:20:27.540 They now change it to hindering.

00:20:29.720 So I don't understand how they're in Victoria, in Melbourne,

00:20:34.320 they've placed a journalist under arrest.

00:20:37.720 And a few minutes later, the arresting officer returns.

00:20:45.120 Ah, so I'm just going to give you a caution, all right?

00:20:48.580 Before we continue, I must inform you don't have to say or do anything.

00:20:51.260 If anything you say or do, maybe give me an evidence to understand that.

00:20:54.200 I do.

00:20:55.060 All right.

00:20:55.940 Um, to hinder, you're between our police lines.

00:20:59.580 We've got two police lines.

00:21:01.220 You're in between.

00:21:01.840 Our four-year-old commander has asked you to move,

00:21:04.000 and you've got it in his way.

00:21:04.960 When did he ask me to move?

00:21:08.020 The world is my witness.

00:21:09.520 You've all seen the footage.

00:21:11.360 He barges in as I'm doing a piece to camera, pointing,

00:21:14.700 going, this bloke is not here for purposeful reasons.

00:21:17.320 Put him under arrest.

00:21:18.780 Did anyone hear one time him asking me to move?

00:21:22.500 I would have complied.

00:21:24.120 I wasn't there to be in their way.

00:21:25.720 I was there to report what was happening on the ground.

00:21:28.520 It was obvious he didn't like me.

00:21:31.560 He knows me.

00:21:32.480 He recognizes me.

00:21:33.300 He doesn't like the fact that I'm holding them accountable.

00:21:36.980 But don't take my word for it.

00:21:38.100 Let's watch it again.

00:21:39.360 Numerous, quite intense, heavy-handed arrests here today.

00:21:45.140 Um, we walked around for, there was probably a good, uh, two hours

00:21:50.560 where there was no arrests, no anything.

00:21:53.480 It was quite peaceful until...

00:21:55.360 Just like you, he's not here for any purposeful reasons.

00:21:58.160 Andy, let's cut it!

00:21:59.040 Put him under arrest.

00:22:00.480 So what's your...

00:22:01.040 All the journalists were there.

00:22:02.420 I was where, all the journalists were.

00:22:04.000 What's your reason for hindering police?

00:22:05.460 I, no comment.

00:22:07.020 Please call my lawyer.

00:22:08.040 That's all right.

00:22:08.540 I've got my lawyer in my pocket.

00:22:09.560 So now, what's going to happen now?

00:22:10.840 You're getting released with inquiries pending.

00:22:14.080 So I'm getting released with pending inquiry?

00:22:16.000 Yep.

00:22:16.560 And then, but I'm going to give you a direction to move on, all right?

00:22:19.480 So you're not allowed in the Albert Park Precinct for the next 24 hours.

00:22:22.400 Excuse me, media, police media unit, excuse me.

00:22:25.940 Do you understand that?

00:22:26.620 No, no, one second.

00:22:28.240 Police media unit, I'm getting a direction as a journalist to move on from an event of

00:22:33.700 public interest.

00:22:34.800 Is that okay?

00:22:35.360 Are you okay as the police media unit with this direction?

00:22:38.480 So you need to listen to the police media unit.

00:22:40.740 So are you okay with that?

00:22:42.120 And then after you've been released, after your arrest, I'll have a chat to you.

00:22:45.620 Okay.

00:22:45.980 Does that make sense?

00:22:46.580 Yep, no one.

00:22:47.000 Do you understand the...

00:22:47.700 I understand.

00:22:48.360 Yep.

00:22:48.600 Do you understand that 24 hours and you understand the area?

00:22:51.260 Yep.

00:22:51.700 And if you come back, it'll be a continuation of the...

00:22:54.360 Well, I'm having a conversation with him.

00:22:55.620 So you may get a ticket or you may get arrested again.

00:22:58.280 Yep.

00:22:58.500 All right?

00:22:59.740 So just to quickly unpack that, they allege I was hindering police, which I can easily 0.99

00:23:05.420 prove I wasn't.

00:23:07.020 And they're using that as a basis of their move on order, which means I haven't committed

00:23:12.020 any crime yet.

00:23:13.800 That's why they're releasing me.

00:23:15.960 But now they've issued me with this move on order on a false pretense.

00:23:21.220 Now, if I disobey that order, I'm committing a crime.

00:23:26.760 Do you see how that works?

00:23:27.620 In summary, they want to remove a journalist who is critical of the state issuing unchecked

00:23:33.920 powers to police.

00:23:35.740 And this is their tactic to do so.

00:23:37.680 Go straight to the media person.

00:23:39.180 Yeah, I am.

00:23:39.820 I've got to find my staff.

00:23:41.280 Go straight to the media person.

00:23:42.640 If you don't go there...

00:23:43.420 I am going there, mate.

00:23:44.380 You're going to breach...

00:23:45.220 Don't threaten me.

00:23:46.020 Don't threaten me.

00:23:46.880 I'm not worried.

00:23:47.720 You are threatening me and you think like...

00:23:50.140 I'm making it very clear so you don't get...

00:23:53.320 I'm not worried.

00:23:54.740 I ain't worried about it.

00:23:56.300 Mate, you just need to do what you've been told.

00:23:57.680 So if they tell you you're in the way they're trying to do their job...

00:24:01.940 I was never told that at first.

00:24:03.100 It doesn't matter.

00:24:03.760 My point is, my one question that I have for you is as the media unit, the police media

00:24:08.060 unit, do you think it's okay in Victoria that a journalist was arrested, let go straight

00:24:13.800 away, I had all the permits, I told them I had the permits, I was arrested and then

00:24:16.740 given a move on direction from an event of obvious public interest.

00:24:21.840 Is that okay?

00:24:22.480 Are you cool?

00:24:22.860 Do you know what I told you before?

00:24:24.620 You need to do what you're being told.

00:24:25.760 Okay.

00:24:26.000 And what legislation did I get?

00:24:28.080 Did I breach the...

00:24:28.720 The police and if you've got a complaint to make, you need to go through the complaints

00:24:32.180 system.

00:24:33.320 Okay?

00:24:34.060 So that's...

00:24:34.600 What's your name?

00:24:35.400 Anita Brins.

00:24:36.440 Anita Brins.

00:24:37.060 Yeah.

00:24:37.280 I'm one of the sergeants at the media unit.

00:24:39.020 I'm happy to chat to you further about it, but just not at the moment.

00:24:42.380 Okay?

00:24:42.740 You've got to do what they say.

00:24:44.040 No.

00:24:44.180 But we're in a country where there's freedom of press.

00:24:48.440 There's freedom of press and you should hold that dear.

00:24:50.720 Now, as a journalist, I was arrested in front of everyone.

00:24:52.780 I've got all the footage.

00:24:54.000 I was arrested, thrown to the ground with my permit in my pocket.

00:24:57.320 I showed the police before coming in here and then I was given a move on order.

00:25:01.120 As a journalist, this is 2020 in Victoria.

00:25:04.820 This is not supposed to be a police day.

00:25:06.560 How convenient for the police, eh?

00:25:09.160 Leave now.

00:25:09.880 Comply.

00:25:10.740 Complain later.

00:25:11.480 Who should I complain to exactly?

00:25:12.820 The police?

00:25:13.720 So they can do some sort of internal review?

00:25:16.900 I'm good.

00:25:18.020 We're going to go above the police.

00:25:19.420 That's why I need you to sign and share the petition at StandWithAvi.com.

00:25:25.200 But my day didn't end there at the protest.

00:25:26.940 I head towards my camera guys who were waiting for me so we could leave together as we did.

00:25:30.520 We came together.

00:25:31.720 When I noticed that they were standing where a couple of journalists who had actually seen me under arrest.

00:25:36.580 And I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask them how they felt about my treatment.

00:25:41.120 There was some young Channel 9 journalist.

00:25:43.240 I don't really know him.

00:25:44.020 And there was a guy called Paul Dowsley who has more than 25 years under his belt with Channel 7 News.

00:25:51.440 I just happened to be standing exactly where my camera guys were waiting for me.

00:25:55.900 You got that caution there, yeah?

00:25:57.620 You got that caution.

00:25:58.580 See, I didn't get that caution and they threw me onto the ground.

00:26:00.620 Can you put your mask on for some reason?

00:26:02.160 You alright?

00:26:03.360 Do you think it's cool that they're throwing journalists down on the ground?

00:26:08.100 I didn't see what led to your caution.

00:26:10.900 You got moved on, correct?

00:26:12.920 I saw that when I was arrested.

00:26:14.840 What was that move on for?

00:26:16.080 Just because we're in a police safe zone.

00:26:18.080 Okay.

00:26:18.780 So they claim that I breached that and then the footage is hectic of throwing me onto the ground based on that.

00:26:26.560 Have you ever seen that in Victoria?

00:26:27.640 Sir, can you please put your mask on while you're near me?

00:26:29.400 You're allowed to as a journalist.

00:26:31.400 I feel unsafe with it like that.

00:26:32.460 Can you put your mask on, please?

00:26:33.600 Are you allowed to film as a journalist without your mask on?

00:26:36.660 Yes?

00:26:37.020 Only when socially distanced.

00:26:38.340 Socially distanced.

00:26:38.960 When socially distanced.

00:26:39.700 Okay.

00:26:40.020 So can I ask you?

00:26:40.600 I'm about to go.

00:26:41.260 I'm moving on.

00:26:41.640 So you're not 1.5 from me.

00:26:43.580 Can you stop that, please?

00:26:44.520 He's doing a bit of a journalist and they've got their face masks on.

00:26:46.500 Okay.

00:26:46.780 So I'm just asking a question.

00:26:48.060 When they interview, they don't have their face masks on.

00:26:49.980 I'm just asking you.

00:26:50.760 Have you ever seen in Victoria a journalist thrown to the ground doing his job, obviously

00:26:56.840 covering an event of public interest?

00:26:59.720 This is public interest?

00:27:00.820 Yes?

00:27:01.360 Have you ever seen that in Victoria as a journalist?

00:27:04.060 I also did not see you get thrown.

00:27:05.600 I'm going to...

00:27:06.180 The footage is going on.

00:27:07.480 I've got the footage.

00:27:08.280 Let's say it's true. 0.89

00:27:08.920 Have you ever seen that?

00:27:09.780 Yes or no?

00:27:10.300 I don't want to comment on something I haven't seen, sir.

00:27:12.180 Okay, mate.

00:27:13.160 Now you've seen it.

00:27:14.400 Can you comment?

00:27:15.760 I'm not holding my breath.

00:27:16.720 I offered to take a shot to him around the corner, but he didn't want to come.

00:27:20.320 But a junior journalist pretending he didn't see what happened or even the cops abusing

00:27:24.940 their power again didn't bother me that much.

00:27:27.620 It was to be expected.

00:27:29.600 What bothered me was the fact that a very experienced journalist didn't seem interested

00:27:35.540 at all.

00:27:41.900 Arresting a fellow journalist is kind of a big story.

00:27:45.120 It's huge.

00:27:46.340 It's what they do in communist China.

00:27:48.960 What I didn't realize is until I was reviewing the footage is that my cameraman just happened

00:27:54.380 to capture the journalist talking between themselves before I got there.

00:27:57.740 Have a listen to what Paul Dowsley was saying off camera.

00:28:03.460 I almost just got arrested.

00:28:05.160 Same here.

00:28:05.860 They're threatening me with the rest. 1.00

00:28:07.840 What dick is it? 0.99

00:28:08.620 For being in a park. 1.00

00:28:10.160 Yeah.

00:28:10.420 He was like, you're in a place like that.

00:28:12.200 What is it for the officer over there?

00:28:13.720 He told me to go stand next to the police meeting.

00:28:15.060 You're not listening to me.

00:28:16.240 I don't listen to you.

00:28:18.020 I'm like...

00:28:19.460 Consistency.

00:28:25.720 That's what you're hoping for.

00:28:27.720 It's a clear, consistent message.

00:28:31.440 I'm talking about to the media.

00:28:37.480 Paul Dowsley doesn't mince his words when it comes to describing the police there on

00:28:41.960 that day.

00:28:42.980 You're threatening me with the rest.

00:28:43.860 Now, it's clear that Paul knew exactly what happened to me and that police in general

00:28:52.900 were out of control at the protest on the weekend.

00:28:55.760 But guess what?

00:28:57.280 The seasoned journalist didn't feel the need to tell the truth in his report on 7 News

00:29:02.420 that night.

00:29:03.420 This is exactly why no one can trust the mainstream media.

00:29:08.440 Because when they think there's no camera, they tell a completely different story.

00:29:14.140 But I guess I can't go too hard on Paul because, after all, who wants to pay the price of holding

00:29:25.820 the state accountable, that night, after not being charged with any crime, not even being

00:29:32.340 fined, I got a visit in a clear attempt of intimidation.

00:29:37.160 I wasn't involved in a protest.

00:29:38.880 Okay.

00:29:39.380 Well, your names...

00:29:40.220 I wasn't...

00:29:40.780 No, no.

00:29:41.120 You were there, though.

00:29:42.120 So let's not dispute that.

00:29:43.260 You were there.

00:29:43.680 Are you going to Channel 9 tonight?

00:29:45.060 Are you going to Channel 9's house?

00:29:46.480 Are you going to the journalist on Channel 7, Channel 9?

00:29:49.420 Are you going to their house tonight to compliance check?

00:29:52.700 If their name's on our list because they were processed for hindering, then yes, we will

00:29:57.340 there.

00:29:58.240 So, I was there as media.

00:30:00.940 Okay.

00:30:01.460 Okay.

00:30:02.120 And the world's seen exactly like the first 10 seconds of the arrest.

00:30:05.560 Yeah.

00:30:05.740 Which is not the whole video.

00:30:07.660 I've got everything from the moment that you guys let me into the rally, checked all my

00:30:11.760 paperwork, and then arrested me.

00:30:13.540 I've never been...

00:30:14.220 No.

00:30:14.440 I was never asked.

00:30:15.560 I was never asked to move on.

00:30:17.360 Nothing like that.

00:30:18.660 That is a lie.

00:30:19.360 Okay.

00:30:19.640 Well, I'm not here to dispute that.

00:30:21.080 Your name's...

00:30:22.000 So, I've never not complied.

00:30:23.860 You're coming to my house with my kids in the middle of the night when I have never not

00:30:27.440 complied.

00:30:28.040 I'm like every other journalist here.

00:30:29.900 Don't come to my house. 0.58

00:30:31.580 Okay.

00:30:31.900 Your name's on our list because there's...

00:30:33.520 What's your name?

00:30:34.300 I'm Senior Constable Barrett.

00:30:35.320 Barrett.

00:30:36.020 I'm from Frankston Police.

00:30:37.220 Frankston.

00:30:37.500 That narrows it down.

00:30:38.000 Yeah.

00:30:38.220 So, you can take me off your list because you're not welcome at my house to do a compliance

00:30:41.840 check to journalists who you...

00:30:44.740 If we've got information that suggests that you're acting in properly...

00:30:47.480 Show me where...

00:30:48.420 Show me one place where I've acted.

00:30:50.480 I report.

00:30:51.120 I'm a commentator.

00:30:51.980 I'm in the media.

00:30:53.700 Don't come to my house here. 0.70

00:30:55.100 We'll see you tomorrow.

00:30:55.700 You're on a list.

00:30:57.420 We'll see you tomorrow.

00:31:00.120 Police have crossed the line and I need your help to fight back.

00:31:02.800 So, please, again, sign and share the petition at StandWithAvi.com because together we can

00:31:09.140 win.

00:31:09.360 I don't need Paul Dowsley or any other fake news journalists.

00:31:13.340 I need you to stand with me and to share the truth.

00:31:16.560 Well, thank you for watching that entire video.

00:31:18.640 Would you agree with me?

00:31:19.520 Not only was it gripping, was it shocking, but it was very well done.

00:31:24.120 And I have to say, I don't think one in a hundred people would have the composure and

00:31:29.180 the cool to be slammed onto the ground by a bunch of cops and not to swear, not to shout,

00:31:35.460 not to insult, not to object, not even to raise the register of his voice just to say,

00:31:40.600 hey, I'm with Rebel News.

00:31:41.740 I'm...

00:31:42.240 My permit's in my pocket.

00:31:43.380 I'm with Rebel News.

00:31:44.220 My permit's in my pocket.

00:31:45.180 How he kept his cool, I'll never know.

00:31:47.880 I certainly wouldn't have been able to do that.

00:31:50.500 It got crazier, as you saw, when they went to his house afterwards.

00:31:53.920 Well, the thing is, Avi's joined Rebel News now.

00:31:56.800 He's not just with TR News or on his own.

00:31:59.920 He's with a team of reporters.

00:32:02.600 Well, unfortunately, we've become used to fighting back against an Antifa mob and even

00:32:08.680 against politicized police.

00:32:10.120 You saw how we were there for David Menzies last week.

00:32:12.500 What do I do now?

00:32:15.520 Do you like me to put a hand on...

00:32:16.380 Peel Regional Police.

00:32:17.660 Sir?

00:32:18.120 Sir?

00:32:19.020 Brampton's finest arresting a journalist for trying to ask questions of the mayor.

00:32:24.700 They're errand boys for the mayor.

00:32:26.880 Can we back up?

00:32:27.420 Peel Regional Police pulling their men off of a mass shooting at the cemetery.

00:32:32.200 I'm an officer safety issue.

00:32:33.380 It's an officer safety?

00:32:34.700 Don't lie.

00:32:35.300 Please don't lie.

00:32:36.040 Stop lying.

00:32:36.620 You're at the back of my officers.

00:32:38.540 My colleagues.

00:32:39.380 You're not listening to me.

00:32:40.660 You're not listening to the lawmate.

00:32:42.580 You're not listening to the law.

00:32:43.480 I am listening.

00:32:44.000 This is public property.

00:32:45.260 That's fantastic.

00:32:45.440 There's a different standard for the Trespass Act in public property.

00:32:48.980 Take it up a proper way instead of coming up here.

00:32:51.320 Like, what's this getting with?

00:32:52.200 Why are you listening to a hand-scrawled note that's not even served?

00:32:57.240 Does he have it in his hand?

00:32:59.640 I could verbally ask you or tell you that you're not allowed on the property.

00:33:03.160 If I didn't have the right to be here, he has the right to be here.

00:33:06.920 Not when an agent of the property has asked you to not.

00:33:09.960 Not on public property, mate.

00:33:11.380 You're confusing private property with public property.

00:33:14.260 We will.

00:33:14.980 Look at this.

00:33:15.460 Four cars and all you cops pulled off the shooting file.

00:33:18.720 You must be proud.

00:33:19.480 Five squad cars sent to arrest David Menzies.

00:33:23.160 David was jammed in the back of a police car and given a $65 trespass ticket.

00:33:27.960 It was outrageous.

00:33:29.180 It was illegal.

00:33:31.020 It was false imprisonment. 0.88

00:33:32.960 And it was all based on a junk trespass notice by a thin-skinned mayor.

00:33:38.260 We defended David, and we will defend him all the way to the Supreme Court.

00:33:42.540 And guess what?

00:33:44.480 We're going to do that for Avi, too.

00:33:46.500 Avi is doing important journalism for us here at Rebel News and for our viewers around the world.

00:33:52.580 He's telling stories about Melbourne to other people in Melbourne, to Australians who don't know how bad it is in their own country.

00:33:59.460 Because, as you saw, the legacy media journalists are afraid to even tell what they themselves think and experience.

00:34:06.860 Avi's here to tell the story of Australia.

00:34:08.460 But he's also there to fight for Australian freedoms.

00:34:13.620 And in a way, fighting for freedom in Australia isn't just about him himself and about other Australians.

00:34:18.900 I think it's part of the entire English-speaking world, the entire free world, fighting back against the tyranny that has sneaked in like a stowaway along with the pandemic policies.

00:34:30.680 We all said, yes, we accept emergency government powers to get through this public health crisis.

00:34:37.380 Two weeks to flatten the curve.

00:34:39.500 Well, two weeks looks like it's going to turn into two years pretty quick.

00:34:43.120 The emergency powers, once granted, don't seem easy to take back.

00:34:47.460 In New Zealand, they actually postponed the election.

00:34:50.840 I'm terrified that they may do the same here in Canada.

00:34:53.920 Is that over-the-top? Is that crazy?

00:34:57.640 Well, you tell me who's crazy when the police slam a reporter on the ground in Melbourne and force a mask on people physically.

00:35:05.720 It's terrifying to me.

00:35:07.540 And I see the role of the rebel here in Canada, where our base is, but also around the world.

00:35:13.220 It's to tell stories about freedom, but also, occasionally, where appropriate, to actually fight for freedom, too.

00:35:21.940 And we're going to do that for Avi in Melbourne.

00:35:25.460 If you want to sign our petition, go to StandWithAvi.com.

00:35:30.740 And in the days and weeks ahead, when we fight back for Avi and for ourselves, and in so doing for all Australians,

00:35:38.060 I hope you'll follow along with that, too.

00:35:40.340 Stay with us. I'll have the man on in a moment himself.

00:35:51.940 I work for Rebel News.

00:36:21.680 What does that mean, that Avi didn't have any purposeful reason for being there?

00:36:33.080 I've never heard that phrase before.

00:36:35.360 He had whatever reason he wanted, whatever purposes he chose.

00:36:38.680 We don't need our purposes approved by a police state.

00:36:43.480 His purpose was obvious.

00:36:44.720 He was doing journalism in an event of great public interest.

00:36:48.960 Well, that is why he was arrested.

00:36:51.600 And joining us now via Skype from Melbourne, Australia, is our newest teammate, Avi Yamini.

00:36:57.280 Avi, great to see you again.

00:36:59.340 You joined us on Friday.

00:37:00.500 You were arrested on Saturday.

00:37:02.040 Sorry about that, mate.

00:37:02.940 That's what a real rebel's about.

00:37:07.140 Well, of course, we know you from before.

00:37:09.260 We've got to know you from the UK, covering Tommy Robinson's travails together.

00:37:14.820 You worked for Tommy for a while with TR.News.

00:37:18.300 Tommy's on other projects.

00:37:20.140 I tell you, it's so nice to have you work with Rebel News.

00:37:22.920 It's like you were built for Rebel News.

00:37:25.500 You're a bit of a rebel yourself.

00:37:26.480 It's exciting times.

00:37:28.820 It is exciting.

00:37:29.760 And, you know, the first project I've done now, I feel like I fit right in.

00:37:35.360 And the team works so well together that, you know, from the minute that I was in custody,

00:37:42.060 you were, I don't even know what time it was for you there in Canada,

00:37:46.120 but you were talking to Rhonda and organizing things.

00:37:49.140 Like, by the time I got out, which wasn't, I wasn't in there for that long.

00:37:52.920 And you'd already, I spoke to you almost immediately.

00:37:57.140 And you'd, you were up to date and you were ahead taking care of the situation.

00:38:01.480 So it's really, it's really exciting to be on this team now.

00:38:04.180 Well, it's nice of you to say the time zone is very difficult.

00:38:08.600 Because, you know, when you're going to bed, we're waking up and vice versa.

00:38:12.380 But I trust your judgment so much.

00:38:16.080 Your work is so strong.

00:38:18.940 And you are in, I believe, the city of Melbourne, which is a wonderful city I had the pleasure of visiting.

00:38:26.880 I think it is actually the most locked down, most civil liberties abused city in the Western world.

00:38:35.440 I'm not going to say in the whole world, because there's probably some places in North Korea that are in the world.

00:38:38.400 Well, when you look at lockdown, when you look at lockdown and even compare it to China,

00:38:42.940 our lockdown has been more severe.

00:38:46.860 So when it comes to dealing with COVID-19, it is certainly the most restricted in the world.

00:38:54.500 You know what, the way you were treated there reminds me of when you went to Hong Kong.

00:39:01.620 And I really think that was a shining moment for you when you did accountability journalism

00:39:07.160 and told the story of the Hong Kong democracy protesters around the world with a sense of humor.

00:39:12.640 And you were courageous in the face of their riot police.

00:39:16.060 I have to say, in all of your reports, I never saw Hong Kong riot police do what was done to you in Melbourne.

00:39:24.380 Maybe I missed it.

00:39:25.380 But I think that the Melbourne police are just as rough as the Hong Kong police.

00:39:29.660 I know that people aren't sent away to gulags in Melbourne yet.

00:39:33.500 But the police work was just as brutal as anything you showed from Hong Kong.

00:39:37.420 Well, I've been to protests all around the world, and the only other place that I can compare it to, rightfully, is Hong Kong.

00:39:45.880 I was saying this today.

00:39:46.900 The only difference really was tear gas.

00:39:50.440 But their tactics were very similar in the way they tried to pick out and trap person by person and targeting the media.

00:39:59.520 But, like you said, even with all that, in Hong Kong, I'd never been tackled by, I don't know, what was it, six officers to the ground.

00:40:11.100 Wasn't resisting compliance.

00:40:13.140 Just, it was the most surreal, bizarre situation to be in here in Melbourne, Australia.

00:40:22.560 In Hong Kong, I probably would have accepted it.

00:40:26.000 I would have expected it.

00:40:27.740 Not in Melbourne.

00:40:28.720 Yeah.

00:40:28.820 But I'm glad that I just was able to capture it on camera so people can see what happens when you give such power to power-hungry people.

00:40:41.540 And, you know, humans are not built to be given such power.

00:40:45.300 I have all the respect in the world for police, but they have their role and they're meant to serve the community.

00:40:52.340 The problem when you start giving them the state of emergency powers that allows them this full reign over the people and starts to give them this idea that they're somehow controlling the people instead of protecting the people.

00:41:09.660 Well, that's the natural result.

00:41:11.660 Even before, and obviously a lot of the footage that we captured there is still going to come.

00:41:18.040 But even before, until the police tactics, when they came in, it was almost like they felt they were above the law.

00:41:27.320 Nobody has any rights.

00:41:28.960 It doesn't matter who you are.

00:41:30.500 Now, most of the mainstream media, as you saw, were willing to accept that, but they just absolutely did not respect anybody's right of anything.

00:41:43.060 Yeah, well, and that was perhaps the most telling part of your video, is you spoke to two mainstream media journalists from legacy stations, Channel 7, Channel 9, large, long-time TV stations in Australia.

00:42:00.920 And when you spoke to them, when your camera was running, when you were talking to them, they said,

00:42:04.980 Oh, I don't know what you're talking about.

00:42:06.920 No, I can't.

00:42:07.660 I can't comment, mate.

00:42:08.760 Don't know what you mean.

00:42:10.160 But your cameraman just happened to catch them.

00:42:14.600 And I was watching it.

00:42:16.320 And let me throw a clip to how they really felt about things, but wouldn't say on camera, wouldn't say in public, only by accident was this captured.

00:42:26.740 Take a look at this.

00:42:29.320 Same here.

00:42:30.060 That's right, man, with the wrist.

00:42:32.780 For being in a park.

00:42:34.140 He was like, you're in a place, I'm like, what if your officer over there, he told me to go stand next to a police meeting, you're not listening to me.

00:42:40.440 And that's the thing, I don't listen.

00:42:42.220 And I'm like, thank you.

00:42:44.060 You said consistency.

00:42:45.160 Yeah.

00:42:49.560 Consistency, that's what you're hoping.

00:42:52.180 A clear, consistent message.

00:42:59.700 I'm talking about to the media.

00:43:01.460 Avi, what I see there is terrifying.

00:43:03.720 You see legacy media journalists who know the true depth of the problem, who are personally outraged, angry, offended, but are biting their tongue and just towing the line.

00:43:15.920 Everything's fine.

00:43:17.520 Personally, they know that there's deep trouble in Melbourne, but they won't breathe a peep of it in public.

00:43:22.600 Like, that's their job is to report and warn the people, but they're not.

00:43:27.900 I wonder why.

00:43:29.680 It's shocking.

00:43:30.460 And I went back to Paul Dowsley, for example, for Channel 7.

00:43:34.380 I went back specifically to watch his report, hoping that he'd mentioned it, hoping that he said something about it, especially because it happened to him.

00:43:44.000 And he was so outraged about it.

00:43:45.780 But, you know, he expressed it in his direct language in a very Australian manner.

00:43:51.540 I didn't expect him to use the same language, but to kind of paint that picture.

00:43:54.920 But, no, the only picture he painted is that the protesters were just a bunch of crackpot, you know, low-class nutcases that were breaking the law by being there and protesting.

00:44:13.420 And police were going hard on them, but he was kind of implying so they should, which was not really how he felt.

00:44:21.940 And, you know, when I came across that footage during the editing and I'd seen it, I felt vindicated.

00:44:31.280 Like, you see, I told you I was saying the truth.

00:44:34.140 The problem wasn't me, it was you guys.

00:44:36.240 And it's the fact that you're unwilling to tell the world and to share the truth with the rest of the world.

00:44:41.960 People want to know what's happening.

00:44:43.700 And it's scary because there are – I was having a conversation with people in the media here who don't go out on the street, who actually rely on the TV networks, the mainstream TV networks, to kind of get a sense of what's happening at these different events.

00:45:00.740 And then they commentate on it.

00:45:02.280 But you see, all the images that they're seeing until we can go onto the streets, all the images that they're seeing across all the channels, from the state-run to the commercial ones, is this narrative that the police are fine and the government's fine and they're not overreaching?

00:45:20.180 It's just these crazy conspiracy theorists.

00:45:24.360 You know, the fact that the journalists are lying to themselves, and we've got the proof of that, you've got the proof of that, is just the most incredible thing.

00:45:33.100 Well, listen, it's so great to have you as a rebel.

00:45:37.400 We like to defend our talent.

00:45:39.500 I mean, just last week, our friend in Toronto, David Menzies, was arrested.

00:45:43.800 He wasn't slammed to the ground, thank God, but he was stuffed in the back of a police car for a period of time, completely unnecessary.

00:45:51.160 And like in your case, he didn't do anything that warranted an arrest.

00:45:57.100 We believe in defending our journalists physically, if that's an issue.

00:46:01.900 Now, we're not going to, you know, have a private security to defend you against the police.

00:46:07.140 That doesn't work.

00:46:08.140 But to defend you legally.

00:46:10.500 And from what I understand, there's no charges pending against you.

00:46:14.540 But I think the other, the reverse could be true.

00:46:17.400 I think what I saw happen to you and what the world saw happen to you, last I checked, your video's doing incredibly well.

00:46:25.120 People all around the world are riveted by what they're seeing for the first time from Melbourne.

00:46:29.440 I think you could have a claim against those police for a number of things.

00:46:34.440 And again, we, 99% of the time, we stand with the police, we support the police, we like the police.

00:46:41.340 But when they become political errand boys, smashing the enemies of the state for partisan reasons, we have to fight back.

00:46:49.600 And I, you know, we'll have to talk more about this later.

00:46:52.280 But I see suing the police for assault, battery, they came around your house later in a harassing way.

00:46:59.800 I think that, frankly, you wouldn't just be doing yourself a favor by suing.

00:47:04.880 You would be setting down a marker that all people in your state of Victoria, the big state in Australia.

00:47:12.980 I think it would be the beginning of a pushback, people reclaiming their civil liberties.

00:47:17.620 We'd love to help you with that if that's something you're interested in doing.

00:47:21.120 Of course.

00:47:21.740 I think it's, I think here everybody's looking for somebody to do something about it because everyone's feeling helpless.

00:47:26.580 And, you know, it has to end because if they could do that so brazenly in front of people and, you know, he knew that I was being filmed.

00:47:36.680 That's the thing.

00:47:37.680 Yeah.

00:47:37.880 He knew I was being filmed.

00:47:39.000 So if they're willing to do that to me in front of a camera, then what are they going to do to the next person?

00:47:43.480 And where are our basic, most fundamental rights?

00:47:46.880 I'm going just like I was thinking about it today, thinking imagine anybody else acted that way.

00:47:53.060 Yeah.

00:47:53.220 Not the cops.

00:47:54.300 If a group of boys went and knocked somebody down like that who was just working, went up to a journalist.

00:47:59.940 Yeah.

00:48:00.600 But they weren't, they weren't holding a badge.

00:48:02.700 Yeah.

00:48:02.940 But in exactly the same circumstances, they would be put in jail.

00:48:07.360 Yeah.

00:48:07.940 I'm not asking for the police to be put in jail.

00:48:09.560 I'm asking for them to apply that kind of force where it belongs.

00:48:13.880 And that's against criminals.

00:48:15.060 The ironic thing here is that in the state of Victoria, gang, youth gangs have run riot.

00:48:20.620 They've held our city hostage.

00:48:22.840 The police have never acted like that.

00:48:24.520 I didn't even know we had that many critical response units.

00:48:27.860 I've never seen that.

00:48:28.620 And they were dressed like Robocop.

00:48:29.820 I've never seen such an outfit before.

00:48:32.100 It looked like stormtroopers.

00:48:33.240 I've been across rallies here for years.

00:48:37.760 I did not even know we had that many.

00:48:40.540 And they should be put to good use.

00:48:42.440 But to protect citizens and civilians, not attack journalists.

00:48:46.080 And I'm with you.

00:48:46.580 And I'm really excited.

00:48:47.740 And I'm humbled by the amount of support we've been getting from all the rebel subscribers

00:48:54.680 that have been writing to me, asking how they can help.

00:48:57.380 I can't even get to the messages.

00:48:58.480 I'm inundated on every single platform.

00:49:01.420 And we're in this together.

00:49:03.140 They like to say that here about the COVID.

00:49:05.240 I'd say we're in this together for the pushback.

00:49:08.780 And I'm sure we'll get some good news soon.

00:49:13.280 Right on.

00:49:13.680 Well, it's a baptism by fire, as they say.

00:49:16.480 Welcome aboard.

00:49:17.740 It's great to talk with you.

00:49:18.800 Thanks for staying up so extremely late.

00:49:20.900 The time zone makes it difficult.

00:49:22.540 But other than that, I tell you, you're an integral part of our team here.

00:49:26.720 We're going to do our best to work with you to defend your right to practice journalism

00:49:31.100 in Australia.

00:49:32.380 And we do that often by crowdfunding legal actions.

00:49:36.400 It would not surprise me if we were able to come up with a solution even this week.

00:49:41.440 We have to let not just the Victoria Police, but everyone in the state of Victoria,

00:49:46.820 everyone in Australia, and everyone in the free world, that you cannot allow politicians

00:49:53.320 to flatten the curve of our civil liberties.

00:49:55.720 Avi Yamini, welcome aboard.

00:49:57.560 Thanks for joining us.

00:49:59.260 Really exciting.

00:50:00.040 Thanks for having me, Ezra.

00:50:00.800 And the time.

00:50:01.240 All right.

00:50:01.640 There you have it.

00:50:02.300 Avi Yamini of Melbourne, Australia, the newest rebel journalist.

00:50:07.640 One day after joining the team, he was arrested.

00:50:11.300 Well, you know how we respond to that.

00:50:13.320 We don't bend the knee.

00:50:15.600 And we're going to work with Avi to get a little justice.

00:50:18.140 Stay with us.

00:50:18.640 More ahead.

00:50:30.700 Well, that's a lot of Avi Yamini in one place.

00:50:33.580 He's quite a character.

00:50:34.700 He reminds me in some ways of our mutual friend, Tommy Robinson.

00:50:37.880 I love the Australian accent.

00:50:39.380 I love how he likes to fight.

00:50:41.260 I think we're going to win down there.

00:50:42.800 And I think we're going to revive our Australian viewership.

00:50:46.620 Remember, we had a character called Mark Latham who did videos for us from Australia for a while.

00:50:51.200 It's great to have feet on the ground in Australia again.

00:50:53.860 And I think we're going to fight for freedom there, not just for Avi, but for a lot of other people too.

00:50:59.600 What do you think about that?

00:51:00.520 The rebel's growing these days, isn't it?

00:51:02.180 We've got tons of new reporters here in Canada.

00:51:05.160 Tamara Ugolini in Ontario.

00:51:07.460 Drea Humphrey doing a great job out there in Vancouver.

00:51:11.000 Here at our Toronto World Headquarters, Andrew Trapados coming on TV from time to time more and more often.

00:51:17.180 I feel really good about how Rebel News is doing.

00:51:19.360 Even our chairman of the board, of our advisory board, Raheel Raza, doing great videos.

00:51:24.200 I feel like we're doing well and it's important that we do well because these are dangerous days for us and for the world.

00:51:31.680 We'll keep fighting for freedom.

00:51:33.700 You do too.

00:51:34.860 Good night.

00:51:35.900 We'll see you tomorrow.

00:51:36.600 We'll see you tomorrow.

Rebel News Podcast - September 09, 2020

Rebel News reporter Avi Yemini arrested first day on the job at Australian anti-lockdown rally

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