Australian police handcuffed a pregnant woman and confiscated her family's electronic devices after she posted on Facebook about an anti-lockdown event, according to a viral video viewed millions of times.
The woman, 28, was charged with incitement — a crime in Australia in which an offender encourages others to break the law, according to a statement from Victoria Police.
The Guardian and Yahoo News have identified the woman as Zoe Buhler. The Guardian reports she created an event on Facebook for a protest critical of the region's ongoing coronavirus lockdown. Police in the region has arrested multiple such organizers in a crackdown, the publication reports.
"Any gathering of this nature is in blatant breach of the Chief Health Officer's directions and puts Victorian lives at risk," Victoria Police's statement says. "Those still thinking of attending the protest in Ballarat on Saturday can expect a swift and firm response from police."
Buhler's has falsely called the coronavirus pandemic "the biggest hoax on earth" on Facebook and criticized lockdowns for preventing the spread of the virus.