The actions of Victoria Police in the egregious arrest of Ballarat mother Zoe Buhler for posting about an anti-lockdown protest on social media is a graphic representation of Victoria’s slide into totalitarianism during the era of COVID-19. 

In scenes that have gone global earlier this month, three police officers—intimidatingly clad in face masks and black “uniforms”—served a search warrant on Buhler, seized her mobile devices and accused the visibly pregnant mother of the offence of incitement.