Police: selling Green Left is 'suspicious behaviour'
BY TONY ILTIS
LISMORE — A local activist was accosted by police on July 26 and subjected to a public search and questioning for selling Green Left Weekly in the street. The activist reports that two officers accused him of being a drug dealer because they had seen him accept money in exchange for something.
Despite explaining that Green Left Weekly was not an illegal commodity (and even paid the GST) the police demanded to search his clothes and possessions and loudly enquired whether there were "sharps" in his bag. Passers-by, known and unknown to their "suspect", were told by police to move on. After suspiciously examining the money from sales of the newspaper (about $13), they allowed him to go about his business.
"Coincidentally", the issue of Green Left Weekly being sold featured a cover story opposing extended powers for the NSW police under the new Olympics security laws.