Pepper spray and arrests at Moomba 2017

Melbourne's Moomba Festival is an annual and free community festival held in Melbourne in March. Activities and events are held near Yarra River and surrounding locations and the festival is a family- friendly event.

In 2017, the ABC reported that more than 50 people were arrested and weapons were seized during the 2017 Moomba Festival. Weapons such as knives, scissors, knuckle-dusters and a taser were found on people during searches. Pepper spray was used on some teenagers at Federation Square who were looking to fight.

At a press conference held on 12 March 2017, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp stated that the arrests were made in relation to drunkenness, weapons offences, riotous behaviour (mainly in relation to men who were at Federation Square who wanted to fight), assaults and one robbery.

a. Identify and describe two powers that were used by Victoria Police during the Moomba Festival.

b. Would the arrests have been made with or without a warrant? Justify your answer.

c. What reasonable force may have been used as part of the arrests?