Posted on 01/10/2022 9:42:27 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Police in Australia pepper-sprayed a mob of supporters of tennis champion Novak Djokovic on Monday evening in Melbourne after the crowd began blocking car traffic and standing on a vehicle they thought carried Djokovic. The uproar took place outside Djokovic's lawyer's office.
As we reported earlier, Djokovic was freed from Australian detention on Monday by a judge who ruled the government had made a mistake canceling his visa. He is planning on staying in Australia to try and compete in the Australian Open in Melbourne next week, where he will be angling to clinch his 21st Grand Slam title, which would put him ahead of Roger Federer for most wins.
Djokovic tried to enter the country last week to start practicing early for the tournament, but border force agents detained him and forced him into a migrant detention facility, something that was not taken well by his fans.
While the Australian government tried to slander Djokovic as a public health threat (as if his presence would make any difference in a country where COVID cases are surging despite all measures to try and slow the spread), some have speculated that Djokovic's detention was due to the fact that his exemption was given because he had been infected in December 2021. The Australian government doesn't want to appear to give legitimacy to the notion that natural infection breeds immunity (even though natural infection is likely better).
The scene was captured on social media.
Absolute mayhem by Novak Djokovic’s lawyer’s office on Collins Street. A car leaving the office is completely surrounded by people cheering “free Nole” pic.twitter.com/H3mAsEHSdX — Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) January 10, 2022
The Australian government is still reportedly weighing whether to "deport" Djokovic ahead of the tournament (which begins Jan. 17). While it's been said the decision won't arrive today, it may arrive in the coming days.
Novak Djokovic will be a free man tonight
Govt wont make decision to deport him tonight per @Gallo_Ways
Immigration Minister had 4h to cancel before he was freed from detention
Decision to cancel can still be made but will be tomorrow or in days afterhttps://t.co/cSKqKELJ4O — Paul Sakkal (@paulsakkal) January 10, 2022
Given the intensity of the crowd response at Djokovic's lawyer's office, one twitter user joked that the Australian government would be foolish to try re-arresting him for a deportation.
Outside Novak Djokovic lawyers office earlier this evening.
I don’t recommend rearresting him.
I have a Serbian uncle, and from experience, they’re a lovely, loving lot until they’re not.
pic.twitter.com/w5aYixtUkW — Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) January 10, 2022
This was earlier as it left Novak’s lawyers’ office. @9NewsMelb @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/tKKpEuYyCi — Adam Hegarty (@ajhegarty9) January 10, 2022
But if the recent past is any guide, well, they have made stupider decisions.
Black Lives Matter protesters in Australia were worse and yet treated better.
Remember the cartoon of a giant elephant climbing on a chair and screaming because of a pipsqueak mouse?
That’s what Australia looks like in this mess, a giant country of 26 million people that produced those tough-as-nails Diggers, now screaming in terror of one ordinary guy
And the public demonization of Djokovic in Australia makes it look petty and vicious
The Western perception of Australia as an easy-going party place is slowly being replaced by one of an oppressive Nazi state ... whether that’s the reality or not, that’s the perception that this mess creates ... you realize that, right?
Sure.
But what the hell are we supposed to do if people in other countries insist on making crap up about us and then that made up crap is used to attack us?
All we can do is try and tell the truth. And when we do we get called liars by the overseas morons who have believed the lies they were spoonfed.
We are not the ones painting Australia as a fascist state. The only real thing that makes sense to me is this is propaganda being spewed out by Communist China who are pissed off that we're one of the only countries that are trying to stand up to them.
I think it's just so depressing that supposedly freedom loving Americans - and others - so easily swallow communist Chinese propaganda and then shoot the messengers who try to tell them what is actually going on.
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