Police raid Narangba protest camp

BY BILL MASON

BRISBANE — At dawn on March 6, police raided the camp protesting against the Narangba irradiation plant in an attempt to suppress opposition to the controversial project. Up to 50 police were involved in the attack, which included mounted police, dogs, paddy wagons and barricades and forced the activists out.

The camp had been constructed during a nine-month vigil outside the Steritech irradiation plant, which poses a danger to the public because it will use radioactive cobalt-60 to sterilise medical supplies and food spices.

Local resident and long-time campaign activist Fran Jell denounced the raid, explaining that protesters had agreed on March 3 to abandon their camp. A colorful march from Narangba railway station to the camp was held on March 2. "They came here with their batons and their shields to do some destruction.", she said.

The protesters had previously refused to abide by a government order to leave the camp, issued in January. The state government had also recently suffered a setback when a case against Everyone for a Nuclear Free Future spokesperson Robyn Taubenfeld was dismissed in the Supreme Court.

From Green Left Weekly, March 12, 2003.

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From GLW issue 529