Post by ppyenews on Jul 22, 2006 20:41:16 GMT -5
Welcome to ‘Talkback Topic’ – I’m Phillip Pye.
This weekend just gone Thousands of Australian people turned out at rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra to protest against the conflict in the Middle East. In Sydney, the crowd carried banners condemning the attacks on Lebanon as they marched from Town Hall to Martin Place in the central business district. According to Police an estimated 15,000 people took part in Sydney and about 400 police were on hand in case the march turned violent. It was a quick reminder for one such as me of the many protests that eventuated around the World during the Vietnam War.
I guess that when we speak of 'protest' it immediately typifies visions of minority groups taking a public stand against something adverse to their beliefs. It has been fairly common in latter years to hold rallies or blockades against logging of a rainforest or the likes however in Australia they are becoming more common and pointed toward mainstream issues such as in the case of recent marches of protest against the Howard Governments IR Laws.
Many people still today have an impaired understanding of protesters. They are often referred to as the rabble in the streets, or the lefties, the Greenies amongst many other stereotyped identities. Most ‘Protest’ activity in so called liberal democracies tends to be non-violent in reality and intent. It is often the Media that attempts to portray any suggestions of violence which are usually nothing more than the odd belligerent protester being moved out of the way. Certainly in the case of the Anti-War Protests this weekend just gone, the message was clearly anti-violence, and one wonders if many of the 400 Policemen would have been better off assigned to other duties.
The truth is that although we think we live in a democracy, and have a right to protest, and a right to free speech the sad fact is that we don’t. In reality, what we have in Australia is a right to protest incompetently. Pickets and protests are fine as long as they are not disruptive to anything. At the first sign that a picket or protest might have an impact on the object of its protest, it quickly becomes illegal.
Police supervising any such protest will often tell you that they respect your right to protest within the law, a right to protest somewhere "over there". At any given protest the "over there" is usually likely to be behind a distant artificial barrier erected for the occasion. Of course protests are also allowed in parks and town squares where organisers have permission from Council, and in street marches which have Police approval.
The minute we don’t agree to protest "over there", the minute our protests look like impacting on the target of the protest, they quickly become illegal. There are a number of criminal laws which can be breached by a simple act of protest. Obstructing traffic, breach of the peace, trespass, loitering, and refusal to obey a police instruction are perhaps the most common, but not the only relevant ‘crimes’. And this is before any new "anti-terrorism" legislation becomes enforceable law.
The message is clear, if the parliament and the courts won’t act to protect freedom of speech and the right to protest, then we have no choice. We do not have freedom of speech and the right to protest. It is not, and will not be given by law. As always, freedom of speech is, and will only be won by fighting for it. When it comes down to War that is indiscriminately killing innocent people irrespective of race, creed, or colour we need more people to protest. It is our Democratic Right.
I’m Phillip Pye.
This weekend just gone Thousands of Australian people turned out at rallies in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra to protest against the conflict in the Middle East. In Sydney, the crowd carried banners condemning the attacks on Lebanon as they marched from Town Hall to Martin Place in the central business district. According to Police an estimated 15,000 people took part in Sydney and about 400 police were on hand in case the march turned violent. It was a quick reminder for one such as me of the many protests that eventuated around the World during the Vietnam War.
I guess that when we speak of 'protest' it immediately typifies visions of minority groups taking a public stand against something adverse to their beliefs. It has been fairly common in latter years to hold rallies or blockades against logging of a rainforest or the likes however in Australia they are becoming more common and pointed toward mainstream issues such as in the case of recent marches of protest against the Howard Governments IR Laws.
Many people still today have an impaired understanding of protesters. They are often referred to as the rabble in the streets, or the lefties, the Greenies amongst many other stereotyped identities. Most ‘Protest’ activity in so called liberal democracies tends to be non-violent in reality and intent. It is often the Media that attempts to portray any suggestions of violence which are usually nothing more than the odd belligerent protester being moved out of the way. Certainly in the case of the Anti-War Protests this weekend just gone, the message was clearly anti-violence, and one wonders if many of the 400 Policemen would have been better off assigned to other duties.
The truth is that although we think we live in a democracy, and have a right to protest, and a right to free speech the sad fact is that we don’t. In reality, what we have in Australia is a right to protest incompetently. Pickets and protests are fine as long as they are not disruptive to anything. At the first sign that a picket or protest might have an impact on the object of its protest, it quickly becomes illegal.
Police supervising any such protest will often tell you that they respect your right to protest within the law, a right to protest somewhere "over there". At any given protest the "over there" is usually likely to be behind a distant artificial barrier erected for the occasion. Of course protests are also allowed in parks and town squares where organisers have permission from Council, and in street marches which have Police approval.
The minute we don’t agree to protest "over there", the minute our protests look like impacting on the target of the protest, they quickly become illegal. There are a number of criminal laws which can be breached by a simple act of protest. Obstructing traffic, breach of the peace, trespass, loitering, and refusal to obey a police instruction are perhaps the most common, but not the only relevant ‘crimes’. And this is before any new "anti-terrorism" legislation becomes enforceable law.
The message is clear, if the parliament and the courts won’t act to protect freedom of speech and the right to protest, then we have no choice. We do not have freedom of speech and the right to protest. It is not, and will not be given by law. As always, freedom of speech is, and will only be won by fighting for it. When it comes down to War that is indiscriminately killing innocent people irrespective of race, creed, or colour we need more people to protest. It is our Democratic Right.
I’m Phillip Pye.
