WA youth defy media anti-protest hysteria

BY RUSSELL PICKERING

PERTH — Despite a hysterical campaign by the Western Australian media
and police opposing the right of young people to protest against the Iraq
war, a 400-strong anti-war rally was held by Youth and Students Against
the War (YSAW) on April 4.

Following the March 26 YSAW-organised anti-war rally, during which cops
violently attacked a sit-down protest, WA police stated that no further
march permits would be issued to YSAW.

However, in a major backdown, a march permit for April 4 was issued
after public opposition to the ban mounted and lawyers representing those
arrested at the March 26 rally began compiling evidence of the police violence.

Addressing the protesters at the April 4 rally, YSAW's Fred Fuentes
displayed the police permit and announced it vindicated YSAW's claim that
students were not responsible for the violence on March 26.

Mark Cox from the No War Alliance explained the role of the team of
legal observers assembled for the day to accompany the protest march.

Other speakers included Ian Bolas, representing the Construction, Forestry
and Energy Union. He explained that the CFMEU had also been the victim
of media misrepresentation and police harassment and, like the students,
had actively defended its members' democratic rights.

Despite the presence of large numbers of police, including the Tactical
Response Group and numerous undercover cops, the march through Perth's
CBD was loud, energetic and free from violence.

The march ended in the Murray Street Mall with music, speeches and a
mass die-in.

The next major anti-war action will be the No War Alliance-organised
Palm Sunday rally commencing at 2pm in the Supreme Court Gardens on April
13. This will follow a ecumenical Palm Sunday service at the same venue
at noon.

From Green Left Weekly, April 9, 2003.

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From GLW issue 533