A PROTESTER who was dribbled on and who suffered an injured foot from a police horse during a demonstration has accused Victoria Police of intimidation and said he is entitled to compensation.

Alexander Forbes suffered a swollen foot during the incident at the Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre as tensions between police and protesters boiled over on May 29, 2011.

The 20-year-old has launched legal action against a female police officer and the State of Victoria along with fellow protester Mark Ryan.

Speaking at his Carlton apartment, Mr Forbes, who works as a cleaner at Melbourne Airport, said: "I was trampled on and the police were trying to push and intimidate us.

"That whole day the police were trying to intimidate us.

"They hurt my foot. I wasn't too bothered about the dribble but I suffered soft tissue damage to my foot."

Mr Forbes and Mr Ryan, 50, have filed a writ the County Court of Victoria against the state and Leading Senior Constable Michelle Turner - who was riding the horse - through the taxpayer-funded Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre.

Mr Forbes told the Herald Sun he hopes to win damages to cover his medical expenses.

"I wasn't able to work for six or seven weeks," he said.

"It shouldn't just come under Medicare.

"They (police) attacked me and the force used was unreasonable.

"The police tried to come and see me in hospital later that day but I refused to see them because of what had just happened."

Mr Forbes said he developed an interest in the plight of refugees because his grandmother arrived in Australia from England on a boat.

"I go to a few events related to refugee campaigns," he said.

"I never go out to cause any trouble. The actions of the police on that day were outrageous."

Mr Ryan suffered a fractured collarbone in the incident.

The Police Association have labelled the legal action by the publicly-funded Flemington and Kensington Community Legal Centre an "outrageous use of taxpayer money".

Sophie Ellis, the lawyer representing the protesters, said: "The presence of police horses at protests is dangerous and is very likely to result in serious injury to people on the ground or to the horses.

"Dangerous and potentially lethal crowd control mechanisms, like police horses, have no place in modern policing."

david.hurley@news.com.au

Originally published as Protester claims police intimidation