SHOCK DJOK
Novak Djokovic chaos as cops pepper-spray fans swarming car after claims he was arrested after anti-vax court win
CHAOS has erupted in Australia following claims Novak Djokovic was arrested after his anti-vax court win as cops fired pepper-spray at fans.
Pictures show tumultuous scenes amid a day of farce in Melbourne as fuming supporters of the tennis ace swarmed a car leaving his lawyer's office as police battled to move them on.
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The havoc came after Srdjan Djokovic, the father of the world's number one, bizarrely claimed anti-vaxxer his son was detained following a judge ruling for him to be freed from quarantine.
But in contradiction to his dad's arrest claims to , Djokovic's brother then reportedly told that the tennis player is "with his lawyers" as ministers want to "capture and lock him up".
With the situation unclear, hundreds of outraged Djokovic supporters formed huge crowds outside his lawyer's office in Melbourne as groups blocked a car they believed to be carrying the tennis star.
Fans clashed with police who used pepper-spray in a bid to control them as they chanted Djokovic's nickname and hurled bottles as tensions escalated.
Photos later showed that the tennis star was NOT actually in the car - which had blacked out windows.
Djokovic's dad was due to hold a press conference at 11am (GMT), but this has reportedly been delayed until 1pm (GMT).
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Reports in Australian media have cited government sources denying he has been arrested and said he remains with his lawyers.
It comes after a government lawyer warned that Australia may yet use ministerial powers to order his removal from the country, which would result in him being banned for three years.
Immigration Minister Alex Hawke could use "personal discretion" to move ahead with another cancellation - but according to he will not make a decision today.
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The Aussie government has confirmed Mr Hawke is still considering whether to cancel Djokovic's visa.
“Following today’s Federal Circuit and Family Court determination on a procedural ground, it remains within Immigration Minister Hawke’s discretion to consider cancelling Mr Djokovic’s visa under his personal power of cancellation within section 133C(3) of the Migration Act," an immigration ministry spokesman said.
“The Minister is currently considering the matter and the process remains ongoing.”
Serbia's parliamentary speaker Ivica Dacic has said he is concerned Djokovic could still be deported despite winning his visa battle.
"The process should have ended when the court ruled on the matter," he told Happy TV.
It comes after the judge ruled the decision to cancel his visa was “unreasonable” and ordered the government to pay his legal costs.
As it stood, Djokovic's passport and all personal effects were to be returned to him imminently.
He was given special permission to be with his lawyers for the ongoing court hearing.
The 34-year-old had been forced into a hotel which houses asylum seekers after a U-turn by Australian authorities.
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His mum Dijana said he was being "kept like a prisoner" in a ";small immigration hotel, if it is a hotel at all". She said the site was "dirty" and maggot-infested with "terrible" food.
DJOKOVIC FREED
The Serbian nine-time winner Down Under was given his marching orders following a six-hour stand-off at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport.
He had initially been granted a vaccine exemption - his lawyers said, because he contracted Covid-19 in December - to compete before his visa was dramatically cancelled.
His legal team claimed he only agreed to the cancellation because he was disorientated by lack of sleep, and left reeling by official's "procedurally unfair" treatment.
Court documents claim Aussie officials made "mischievous and spurious" attempts to rush him into signing off on the cancellation.
He was then detained, despite pleading to be moved to more elaborate digs with a tennis court or to have his private chef provide vegan meals – requests which were denied.
The ace has faced huge backlash from Australians, who have been split on the decision to detain him.
He has not openly spoken about his jab status, but last year did admit that he was “opposed” to vaccination.
He told reporters: "Personally I am opposed to vaccination.
"I wouldn't want to be forced by someone to take a vaccine in order to be able to travel."
Judge Anthony Kelly said today he was "agitated" about the case - and asked: "What more could this man have done?"
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"Here, a professor and an eminently qualified physician have produced and provided to the applicant a medical exemption," Judge Kelly said.
"Further to that, that medical exemption and the basis on which it was given was separately given by a further independent expert specialist panel established by the Victorian state government and that document was in the hands of the delegate."
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Timeline of events
Novak Djokovic touched down in Melbourne about 11.30pm on Wednesday night, and was swiftly taken in for questioning by Border Force officials.
He spoke with officials for six hours before a decision was made to cancel his visa.
That was done on the basis that he couldn't validate his medical exemption to arrive in Australia without a Covid jab.
He was taken to a detention centre in the city.
Immediately after his visa was cancelled, Djokovic and his team indicated they would fight the decision.
They appeared before the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia on Thursday afternoon, where the matter was postponed until today.
Djokovic was informed by Tennis Australia that he was exempt to travel to Australia and play. It's understood his application was assessed by two bodies - one assigned by TA and the other by the Victorian state government.
On Saturday night, it was revealed via court documents that Djokovic had also received correspondence from the Department of Home Affairs - a federal body - which indicated he was free to travel to Australia.
But this has been revealed to be an arrivals assessment form, and not official confirmation he was granted quarantine-free travel.
No single party has accepted responsibility for the debacle, and at least one other tennis player has been sent home after they were initially approved with the same exemption.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic has received significantly unfair treatment says Australian immigration lawyer
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