'Heavy-handed': Man arrested after police and punters clash at festival
A Preston man has been arrested and police have been accused of 'heavy-handed' behaviour after they put a stop to a music festival on Sunday due to the presence of alcohol.
Performances at the Brunswick Music Festival were stopped about 4pm, after police spoke to people in the area and confiscated drinks at the alcohol-free event.
Video from from the event shows pushing and shoving between members of the public and police, who were filmed holding pepper spray.
A Victoria Police media spokesman said officers returned to the event at 4.30pm to investigate reports of more alcohol and a decision was made "in consultation with organisers" to stop the entertainment.
"Some members of the crowd objected to the event being stopped and became aggressive towards police," the media spokesman said.
Music producer Marc Peckham, who goes by the stage name Monkey Marc, was preparing to play a set at the reggae session after the Sydney Road Street Party, when punters and police clashed at the festival.
He said on Facebook that police "escalated a chilled community event into a heavy-handed situation".
"Everything was going really well ... Really disappointing to see the heavy-handed approach of the police to a peaceful council-approved festival event, with families, kids and people dancing and having a good time," Mr Peckham said.
A 36-year-old Preston man was arrested after he allegedly spat at police and a member of the public.
The Preston man was charged with assaulting police, failing to state his name and address, offensive behaviour and resisting arrest.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on June 1, 2020.
Police will investigate the incident to determine whether any other offences were committed.
A police spokesman said officers were "generally pleased" with the behaviour of the 50,000 people who attended the street festival.