Milo Yiannopoulos promoters won't pay $50,000 Victoria Police bill

<i>I can hardly believe how far left Victoria is veering: State police charging a conservative to protect him from Leftists. Charging protection money is what criminals do. The next step is refusing protection and letting harm happen. 

The whole rationale for government is that there are some things that should not be user-pays, but which the State should pay, like roads and infrastructure, defence, police, search and rescue, and emergency services, certain amenities ... etc. If the police don't think it is part of their job to prevent criminal assault, what are they good for?

The only consolation is that this is probably a try-on</i>


THE ORGANISER behind controversial Milo Yiannopoulos' Melbourne event is refusing to cough up $50,000 to cover the cost of police after a violent protest broke out.

Penthouse publisher Damien Costas, the man who organised Milo Yiannopoulos's tour, told 3AW he had no intention of paying the five-figure bill from Victoria Police, following the Kensington clash.

“I can't imagine we would (pay the larger bill)," he said. “In Melbourne they were talking about a user pays model but a particular sergeant at our head of security we were dealing with said ‘We'd like you to pay for the barriers, bollards etc'."

“I think the entire thing was about five or $6000." “I paid what I was asked to pay. Anything over and above that we can determine." “This is actually asking the victim to pay the bill."

He said user-pay models were discussed in every state and he'd paid about $9000 for police in the Gold Coast and nothing in New South Wales.

Supporters of the far-Right figure were involved in violent clashes with left-wing protesters on Monday night in Kensington.
Hundreds of police were called in with some using capsicum spray to subdue rioters.

Mr Costas said the 3000 attendees didn't do anything wrong rather those uninvited threw rocks.

Police Minister Lisa Neville told the radio station on Wednesday the event's promoters would have to foot the bill, which would be at least $50,000. She said billing event organisers for police resources was commonplace.

“For these sort of rallies, but also for the AFL and those big events there is an agreement around the costs," she said. Ms Neville said she was confident Mr Yiannopoulos would cough up.
“(It's a) big call to say you're going to ignore a bill from Victoria Police," she said.

Mr Costas said the police presence was executed with “military precision" and there were also 70 security guards at the event.

<a href="http://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/milo-yiannopoulos-police-minister-lisa-neville-says-50000-bill-on-the-way/news-story/791f67ac689562f4ea1c0504954b5d05">SOURCE</a>