Aussie cops free 18 Indian protesters

All 18 protesters, detained for "breaching peace" by organising a massive rally against attacks on Indian students here, were released by Australian police who charged one of them for causing damage to property.      

The 18, most of them Indian students studying here, were detained in the early hours yesterday after police used force to break their protests, that had blocked one of the busiest streets in Melbourne.      

They were however released later in the day. Their identities were still not known.      

"But one protester has been charged with a damage-to-property offence," the Sydney Morning Herald said.      

Australian police faced accusations of excessive force to break up a peaceful sit-in by hundreds of Indian students protesting a spate of attacks on their community.      

 

The protests were called off after protesters accused police of high-handedness and "ramrodding" them to break up their sit-in.      

Victoria police commissioner Simon Overland however said the action was justified as protesters had ignored a final order to leave the busy street. "There were blows, as I said, because arms had been linked, and there was a lot of resistance going on," he said agreeing some force was used.