Source : Perth Now news
Australian actor Alicia Gardiner will give evidence at a hearing into an allegation she assaulted a staff member at Parliament House in Melbourne.
The Offspring star is accused of twisting a woman’s breast in the afternoon of May 7, 2024, after protesters were kicked out of the public gallery.
Ms Gardiner denies intentionally assaulting the woman.
Body-worn camera footage from police officers at the scene was played to the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday as Ms Gardiner contested the allegation.
The vision captures protesters chanting pro-Palestinian slogans, including “free free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea”, as they were escorted through the building.
Prosecutors allege Ms Gardiner assaulted the woman who was stationed at the door to the legislative chamber of parliament shortly after 1pm.
During the hearing, one witness described pushing back a woman in blue, alleged to be Ms Gardiner, as she attempted to enter the chamber before seeing her “tussle” with his colleague.
“I believe they wanted to go into the chamber and do their protest,” he said.
The man said seconds later police protective services officers arrived, and he later approached his colleague.
“Yeah, she looked shaken, shocked. I was shocked as well,” he said.
According to the Herald Sun, Ms Gardiner’s lawyer Angeline Centrone told the court that contact between her client and the woman was not deliberate and occurred when she put her hands up to brace herself amid a “crush”.
Ms Centrone said her client would give evidence to the hearing on Wednesday afternoon. The hearing, before Magistrate Malcolm Thomas, continues.
Ms Gardiner is perhaps best known for her role as Kim Akerholt on Offspring.
