By Maurice Sibelle
BRISBANE — Hundreds of people gathered in the Queen Street Mall on February 12 to protest against the Brisbane City Council ban on political activity there. This was the second Friday evening action against the council's use of former National/Liberal legislation to deny basic democratic rights.
The protest, larger than the previous week, attracted a spirited crowd, and many interested shoppers stopped to lend their support. Speakers included Chris Griffith, from the Watchdog Committee (established to oversee implementation of the Fitzgerald Inquiry recommendations) and Sandy Brown, president of the University of Queensland Student Union.
A host of Green Left Weekly and Socialist newspapers was raised above people's heads to defy the council's ban on newspaper sales.
Police decided not to interfere in the mass paper sale. Instead, council officers and police demanded the names of protesters on the outskirts of the protest. It is believed that they will send out fine notices in the mail.
The previous week police, with an aggressive, confrontationist approach, swarmed on protesters and arrested 12. Only one person was arrested in the latest protest, apparently on a charge of assaulting a police officer with an umbrella.
The council is attempting to ban newspaper sales, political stalls and leaflet distribution in the mall following legislation introduced into state parliament guaranteeing the right of peaceful assembly and free speech.
This week council introduced by-laws which would further restrict the right to free speech. The by-laws, if passed, will prevent public assemblies that conflict with "approved commercial promotions". The laws include $600 fines for disobeying a direction from a council officer to move on or for impeding people from entering a business. Hard placards and amplification are already banned from the mall.
The Caxton Legal Service has said that the new by-laws may be against the spirit of the Peaceful Assembly Act. Spokesperson Nick Tucker said the centre would challenge the by-laws through the council process during the period of public comment. If that failed, it would take the issue to court.
"We have won a partial victory with the cops backing off on Friday night", claimed Susan Price, Democratic Socialist candidate for the seat of Brisbane in the federal elections. "But we cannot let down our guard. We have to continue the mobilisation. We will win if we show that the people of Brisbane support democratic rights and that Mayor Soorley is isolated."