A woman has been arrested for assaulting an emergency worker after she allegedly spat on an Adelaide nurse who was walking to work on Tuesday morning.
Police said the 42-year-old woman spat a drink over the nurse, who was wearing blue scrubs, as she walked along Hindley Street in Adelaide's CBD about 7:30am.
Her alleged attacker, who is homeless, was arrested and charged with assaulting a prescribed emergency worker.
"We are resolute in taking action against any incidents where emergency services workers, including health workers are assaulted in this way," SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said.
"These types of behaviours are completely abhorrent and should not be occurring."
The incident was revealed by Commissioner Stevens at a media conference on coronavirus restrictions easing in South Australia.
The woman did not apply for bail and appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
South Australia created the specific offence of assaulting an emergency worker in October last year.
It carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail for the basic offence, and 15 years in jail for intentionally causing harm.
In March, a woman was arrested after allegedly speeding through a South Australian border checkpoint and coughing on two police officers.
Last month, a Whyalla man was charged with aggravated assault of an emergency worker after he allegedly told a police officer he had the coronavirus and then coughed in the officer's face.
The law has since been amended to include a presumption against bail for those charged during the state's coronavirus emergency declaration.
