Actress Gardiner Cleared of Assault in Protest Case

In a dramatic turn at Melbourne Magistrates Court, Australian actress Alicia Gardiner was cleared of an assault charge stemming from a pro-Palestine protest that disrupted a state budget speech last year. The 50-year-old, known for her roles in the television series Offspring and the crime comedy Deadloch, admitted to failing to comply with police directions and was fined $500 with no conviction recorded.

The incident occurred on May 7, 2024, during then-Treasurer Tim Pallas's budget address at Victoria's Parliament House. Gardiner joined about a dozen protesters in the public gallery, where they chanted slogans and displayed signs urging action to aid Palestinians amid Israel's military operations in Gaza. As security escorted the group out, prosecutors alleged Gardiner attempted to enter the legislative chamber below and was blocked by two parliamentary staff members.

One staffer, who requested anonymity, testified that Gardiner pushed her before grabbing and twisting her left breast, causing sharp pain and bruising. "I felt a really sharp stabbing pain. I thought it was a knife," the woman told the court during the two-day contested hearing. She described Gardiner staring...