AFLW player Deni Varnhagen has distanced herself from the actions of an angry mob who heckled South Australia's chief health officer as she left an Adelaide court.
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The Crows midfielder, who is also a nurse, is part of legal case in the Supreme Court challenging the state's vaccine requirements for healthcare workers.
A police guard escorted health chief Nicola Spurrier to a waiting car as a crowd of anti-vaccine protesters yelled abuse following a Thursday court ruling that she would not be required to give evidence.
Earlier, a group bearing signs with anti-vaccine messages gathered at the entrance to Adelaide's District Court building, where they shouted "shame" and called for Prof Spurrier to be prosecuted as she arrived.
Ms Varnhagen's legal team had applied to the court to require Prof Spurrier to give evidence about what information she relied on in her role advising the state emergency coordinator during the pandemic.
Justice Judy Hughes rejected the application.
"I've determined there is no relevant evidence that Prof Spurrier can give on the grounds that have been asserted," Justice Hughes said on Thursday.
Reasons for the decision will be provided at a later date.
Barrister Simon Owen QC later read a statement to the court on behalf of Ms Varnhagen and her co-litigant, condemning the treatment of Prof Spurrier.
"We strongly condemn what happened this morning outside court towards Prof Spurrier," Mr Owen said.
"We live in a society governed by the rule of law.
"My clients invoke that rule for this court to determine the lawfulness of the commissioner's mandates in a civil and orderly manner.
"What happened outside court this morning was the opposite of that and must never happen again."
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens may be required to give evidence.
Ms Varnhagen's legal team called vaccine scientist Nicholai Petrovsky to give evidence on Thursday.
The professor is on leave from a medical centre after being told he could not attend the facility without being vaccinated.
Prof Petrovsky has received a dose of a vaccine developed by his own company, but it has not yet been approved by the TGA.
The court has previously been told that Ms Varnhagen has been forced to work as a labourer after losing her regular work for refusing a COVID-19 vaccination, the court has been told.
The decision to impose the vaccination mandate for state health workers and other public sector employers was made under the SA Emergency Management Act.
Ms Varnhagan says she has received no nursing shifts since November 2021 after refusing vaccination despite receiving text messages asking for all eligible nursing staff to help fill shortages.
The Crows also shifted the 29-year-old to the inactive list after she refused to be vaccinated.
The hearing is scheduled to continue on Friday.
Australian Associated Press
