offenders. At this time is there any questions? Reporter:
Reporter: … Should the police have been more prepared? Police: The police were only notified of the event a few days prior. We worked with the event organisers and the protest group to ensure that this was going to be a peaceful event. We had no indication that there would be any violence at the incident. We did have a number of police resources on the scene and we had been at the scene since 5:00 p.m with the event to commence at 7:00 p.m. We did not expect 250 people to come from that event and have a violent confrontation in the street. …
Police: At this stage we only know of one protest group that was present at the event or outside the event, a hundred metres down from where the church was. If there were other groups there, we don't know at this stage. …
Police: At this stage we believe that the people who were involved in the violent confrontation were attending the event that was to be held at the church hall. We were told that there were between 500, there is roughly around 500 people expected to attend and those numbers coincide with the amount of people that were at the scene. Reporter: What do police know about the group Christian Lives Matter? Police: I'm not aware of anything. I can't comment on that at this stage. …
Police: The protest group appeared to be peaceful and they were standing and were being shielded by the police. So all of the projectiles appear to come from the crowd that were at the event. Reporter: …[W]hat types of projectiles they were? Police: At this stage we believe it to be water bottles and some rocks that were thrown. Reporter: How would you describe this sort of event and what's happened? Police: This was nothing but a violent confrontation. These people were there to protest against, for their own beliefs, and there was an event occurring which they were there for to protest against. This was meant to be a very peaceful protest and unfortunately has turned into a very violent event. …
Police: Police had been working with the event organisers and with the protest group for a number of days in relation to this. Part of that was in consult with Mr Latham. He was asked whether he wanted to speak after the violent confrontation had occurred and he decided that he still wished to do that, and we were there to make sure that no further incidents occurred. …
Greenwich v Latham [2024] FCA 1050
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