Simon Cunich, Sydney

On October 18, an otherwise normal day in Newtown turned into an exercise in intimidation by the state as scores of police, some on horse-back, some with attack dogs in paddy waggons, stationed themselves outside the Newtown Court House.

Some 40 students and a handful of local activists had turned up to support Josh Lees, a tutor at Sydney University, and Patrick Langosch, who are facing charges of assaulting police and hindering arrest at a protest against “voluntary student unionism” (VSU) on August 10. Opposite the court house, about 15 Liberal Party students stood behind a barricade calling for the two activists to be jailed and chanting “cops are tops”.

It was two weeks after the VSU protest that plain-clothed police went onto campus to charge Lees. Langosch was charged after a civil rights protest in front of the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre on September 15. One other anti-VSU activist, Tim Davis Frank, is facing similar charges. The arrests and charges have raised concern about the increased police surveillance of protesters.

The activists have launched a campaign to demand that the Sydney University administration disallow police onto campus, and that universal student unionism be guaranteed, regardless of whether VSU is passed.

After the rally another student was pulled aside by police for questioning, but no charges were laid.

From Green Left Weekly, October 26, 2005.
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