Free speech defended

BY CHRIS ATKINSON

DARWIN — There are not many places in Darwin for young people to hang out. Casuarina shopping mall is the main place. But the centre's management and its private security firm, Group 4, are often less than welcoming of young people, particularly when they are not buying things ("loitering") or do not have white skin. Management have a logbook filled with people issued with trespass notices.

In Britain, Group 4 wants the contract to police British Labour government's proposed network of refugee "holding facilities".

Resistance activists are frequently told to move on from outside the shopping centre as they distribute Green Left Weekly and campaign for the refugee detention centres to be closed.

Darwin Resistance activists decided to make these facts known to the customers of Casuarina shopping mall on February 19 with a megaphone and leaflets. Stunned by the surprise raid, two Group 4 guards and three centre personnel did not know what to do. The presence of a Channel 7 camera operator made for a stand-off.

After 10 minutes, a centre management representative asked the protesters to not use the megaphone, but permitted the distribution of leaflets. A small victory for freedom of speech.

[For more information on Darwin Resistance's youth rights campaign, phone Chris (08) 8981 4714.]

From Green Left Weekly, February 27, 2002.

Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

From GLW issue 482