Woman smashes female cop's head on concrete, rips off handfuls of hair after officers ask her to wear mask
It has been reported that a police officer suffered from a concussion after a woman smashed her head onto a concrete floor upon being told to wear a face mask. The incident is believed to have taken place near Bayside Shopping Centre in Frankston, Melbourne, Australia on Monday, August 3. The officer, 26, had been on patrol with another officer when they saw a woman, 38, not wearing a mask. Both the officers were female.
The two officers then approached the woman to ask what her name was. As per the chief health officer’s advice in Melbourne, face masks are mandatory. However, the woman got enraged at being approached and reportedly lashed out. Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton addressed the incident during a press conference and said that "after a confrontation and being assaulted by that woman, those police officers went to ground and there was a scuffle."
When the altercation took place, the woman allegedly 'smashed' the officer's head onto a concrete area on the ground 'several times'. The other officer was allegedly assaulted. As reported by The Age, Patton said, "That behavior is just totally unacceptable. That's someone who thinks they're above the law. They're not wearing a mask. They're approached and asked the reason why not and then to react like that is just completely over the top."
The police officer's hair was ripped out in places and she suffered from a concussion. She was taken to the Frankston Hospital for assessment and medical treatment. The attacker was taken to the police station where she was charged with nine offenses which include two counts of assaulting an emergency worker and recklessly causing injury. As a result of her actions, she was also fined $200 for failing to abide by the coronavirus rules and not wearing a mask or covering. She was released on bail and is expected to appear in court in March next year.
According to Police union secretary Wayne Gatt, the incident was "absolutely reprehensible." He shared, "That officer is missing a clump of her hair just because she asked somebody for their name at the front line of our fight against this horrible pandemic. [The alleged offender] said to our member, 'What's it like to have your hair in my hands?' or words to that effect. That's horrible conduct, it's not human-like, to be quite honest," he added.
Gatt also said that the authorities were being tested by 'smarta***s' who were not following the rules but telling the community to support the police. "Our members are being tested, at roadblocks, at sites, but they are holding the line and helping the community and they won't be pushed and shoved by people like this... they have a job to do and we should be proud of them for doing it," he continued.
Premier Daniel Andrews said that the alleged attack on the officer was "appalling... and simply intolerable" as he thanked police officers for doing their jobs during such trying circumstances. "These matters will be before the courts and I don't want to cut across that but that behavior is nothing short of fundamentally disgusting and police are out there putting themselves in harm's way. Wear a mask for heaven's sake," he shared.