Last Monday’s CoPP FOR COPS safety walk attracted a crowd of at least 200 people despite the hot weather. Unlike a typical ‘protest’ march, this gathering was not characterized by lengthy speeches and posturing from angry organizers.
There were no leaders as such, no placards or banners, and no confrontation with authority. It resembled more of a community walk than a protest.
And walk they did…
After gathering slowly at the parkland next to the St Kilda Sports Club on Fitzroy Street, the crowd seemed to magically expand a few minutes after the designated start time. People with dogs and prams, family groups, and friends set off towards Acland Street.
Initially along the footpath, the participants moved to the tram tracks and walked at a leisurely pace towards Acland Plaza.
There were no raised fists, no angry, contorted faces, no marshals, and no police. It took until the Esplanade for a chant to be heard from a lone loud hailer.
What do we want? A safe St Kilda. When do we want it? Now.
The tone was more benign than angry. See Facebook reel
Later at Acland Plaza
The crowd assembled briefly in Acland Plaza, where organizers invited people to make short testimonials. Only a few took the opportunity. Their testimonies were personal and essentially pleas for help from authorities. After about ten minutes, the organizers thanked participants and urged them to support local traders with their custom.
FYI Video by Simon Barnett
No Mayor, No Councillors, and Other ‘Missing’ Faces
TWiSK spotted several politicians in the crowd, namely David Southwick Liberal MLA for Caulfield and Georgie Crozier, Liberal Southern Metro MLC, plus aspiring Macnamara Liberal candidate Benson Saulo, but they did not speak and appeared to be in ‘listening’ mode.
As far as we can tell, there were no Port Phillip councillors in attendance, but the Mayor and Cr Serge Thomann did post detailed statements. (See below)
Also absent were some local MPs who regularly share their activities on social media – so we checked their accounts for comments.
Nina Taylor MLA Albert Park is very active on social media, but she made no mention of the walk. Ryan Batchelor MLA Southern Metro is also active on social media; he posted about campaigning in the Werribee by-election. Katherine Copsey, also MLA Southern Metro, posted about billionaires earning $67K per hour.
But Mayor Shares Concerns
In a statement released on the day of the walk, Mayor Louise Crawford said, “the City of Port Phillip shares our community’s concern about safety.”
“Council acknowledges and understands Monday’s community walk calling for greater police resourcing throughout the City of Port Phillip. Council greatly values our partnership with Victoria Police and the critical work they do in our community under difficult circumstances – we are advocates for improved police resourcing to enable greater physical presence and joint patrols in our hotspots.”
“Council delivers a range of services, including officers who can address breaches of local law through patrols and rapid response initiatives, housing and homelessness services, CCTV infrastructure, and social inclusion support.”
“However, aggressive, unlawful behaviour, including violent behaviour and illegal drug use, are matters for Victoria Police.”
Mayor Crawford said the council voted unanimously in December to establish a community roundtable to address safety concerns.
Mayor Defends Decision Not to Attend the Walk
The Mayor stated her decision not to attend was a considered one. “I understand no councillors were invited to attend or did attend. I personally didn’t want to distract from what was very much a community-organized event focused on police resourcing.
“Advocacy can take many forms, and we have consistently advocated through official channels for more police to enable a greater physical presence and joint patrols in our hotspots.”
She confirmed she has now written to Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton formally requesting additional police resourcing in the City of Port Phillip area, a commitment to joint patrols with Local Laws officers, and advice regarding City of Port Phillip Local Law amendments to support police or council officers to improve community safety.
Safety Roundtable Progress
The Mayor told TWiSK that council officers have been working on options for the proposed approach, membership, and timing over the summer break and are now working with councillors to finalize the roundtable, including the date.
“We want to hold it as soon as possible,” she said. “We have continued working closely with police over summer to monitor hotspots and the increased visitation to our beautiful foreshore. We have also worked with two Victorian Government agencies to manage antisocial behaviour on their land. Daily patrols across our activity centres continue with increased staff hours to ensure we can respond to issues quickly and efficiently.”
Ward Councillor Also Says Much Is Happening Behind the Scenes
Cr Serge Thomann posted a detailed comment on the walk on Facebook (presented in full).
“I’m fully aware of the concerns residents and traders in St Kilda have about safety, especially when walking through our neighbourhood. Safety is a priority. Over recent weeks, I’ve spoken with a wide range of people, including some who feel hesitant to share their views publicly due to fear of being bullied or threatened. Unfortunately, I’ve also experienced threats myself from those who feel Council or I aren’t doing enough – I might be the St Kilda Councillor but I am only one of nine and I cannot act alone.
I also understand that people are tired of the situation and want to see meaningful progress.
The safety issues we face are not new—they’ve been building for years, even decades. However, I’m pleased that the newly elected Councillors have already made significant progress. At our first Council meeting, we unanimously passed a notice of motion addressing safety concerns in our city. This is a first for the City of Port Phillip, and it reflects our shared commitment to finding solutions.
Behind the scenes, we are actively working on the various actions outlined in this motion.
We are in the process of engaging experts and stakeholders, including working towards a roundtable discussion facilitated by a highly respected community leader.
Council is also engaging with police and the state government to develop short-, medium-, and long-term solutions. Our aim is not just to improve safety for residents but also to support people sleeping rough so they can access housing and stability.
I understand that emotions are running high, and I’ve been overwhelmed by the volume of messages I’ve received. While I appreciate hearing from the community, I’m saddened by the level of aggression in some of these messages. Aggression isn’t helpful—it only makes it harder to focus on meaningful change.
I strongly believe in thorough, thoughtful processes, which is why I’m not providing “commentary on the run” on Facebook or other social media platforms.
I also wish the gentleman who was injured in Barkly Street on Sunday night a very prompt recovery.
Please know that I am listening, acting, and fully committed to making St Kilda a safer, more inclusive place for everyone. Meaningful progress takes time, and I will share updates and decisions as outcomes are achieved.
Thank you for caring about the city in which we live. Together, we can make a difference.”
An interesting sidebar story:
During the walk, TWiSK travelled on the tram from Fitzroy to Acland Streets and met two Canadian visitors from Toronto who were in town for the tennis – their second visit.
After we got chatting, it was apparent they were serious fans of Melbourne and on their way to eat at a well known St Kilda eatery.
“Why are the people walking along the tram tracks?” they asked.
“They are calling for more police because of community safety issues,” was my reply.
They looked nonplussed, and after some hesitation, they said, “But Melbourne is such a safe place. We love it.”
