Two vaccination centres close after staff abused by protesters

The vaccination centre at Melbourne Town Hall and the community health centre at Queen Victoria Market, which vaccinates the homeless, closed today when staff were abused and even spat on by protesters on their way to work.

Members of Victoria Police search a man ahead of a planned protest on 23 September, 2021 in Melbourne. Source: Getty Images

Cohealth chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz said she was "distressed to report" several incidents where workers were physically and verbally abused by rioters because they were wearing cohealth identification.

"Due to the increasingly violent and unpredictable nature of the protests in the city, we have made the difficult decision to close the cohealth Melbourne Town Hall vaccination centre as well as our Central City homelessness service, and our street- based outreach services until Monday," she said in a statement.