Gillard concern for Abbott in Australia Day protest praised

PRIME minister Julia Gillard earned praise after Australians saw footage of spooked security guards unceremoniously bundling her and Tony Abbott away after protesters surrounded Canberra’s Lobby Restaurant, where the pair were attending an Australian Day awards ceremony.

She lost a shoe and almost tumbled over as Mr Abbott ran behind her to a waiting car.

The 200 protesters were angry at Mr Abbott because they thought he had earlier on Thursday called for the 40-year-old tent embassy outside old Parliament House in Canberra to be torn down.

The AFP will investigate the incident, during which the protesters surrounded the restaurant and banged on glass windows and shouted, and will consider laying charges if offences have been committed.

Security personnel had feared the glass could break and advised Ms Gillard to leave.

She then asked that they get Mr Abbott out as well.

Video: Channel 9 News footage of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott in Australia Day protest scare.

The Channel 9 News crew were the only television team who happened to be inside the venue when security locked the doors as the protesters gathered outside.

Ms Gillard said on Friday violent protests should be condemned.

“Generally, the tent embassy has been a peaceful protest,” she told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

“What I utterly condemn is when protests turn violent, the way we saw the violence yesterday.”

Mr Abbott said he had been “verballed” by protesters and did not say the embassy should be demolished.

“I never said that and I don’t think that,” he told reporters in Melbourne on Friday.

With AAP and sources