In 2000,
Patrick Coleman, a law and politics student at James Cook University,
was protesting by distributing leaflets in Townsville, accusing the police of
corruption.
Among other things, the pamphlets invited the police to
“kiss my arse you slimy lying bastards”. He also publicly insulted Constable
Brendan Power, who had asked for one of the fliers.
Coleman was convicted of using insulting words under the
Vagrants, Gaming and Other Offences Act and, ultimately, when his appeal got to
the High Court, one of the main issues was whether the act burdened the implied
freedom of communication about government or political matters and whether it
also served a legitimate end compatible with representative government.
Read The Guardian
story - “Changes to laws governing protests loosen restraints on police powers.”
(Protest, in its
many forms, may well be the only way to impede the behaviour that causes
climate change and each of us needs to be wary about changes to governance that
limit how and when we might legitimately protest – Robert McLean.)
.
No comments:
Post a Comment