[Greens-Media] (Sylvia Hale MLC) Greens welcome decision not to fence off APEC

[Christopher Holley]

Greens welcome decision not to fence off APEC
 
Sylvia Hale, MLC, Greens spokesperson on Police, today met with
Superintendent Greg Rolph, Deputy Commander – Operations, APEC  2007 NSW
Police Security Command, to discuss policing arrangements during APEC.
Ms Hale had written to the Commissioner of Police on 15 May 2007,
requesting the meeting in order to discuss “possible restrictions during
APEC Leaders Week on the right to peaceful assembly and the right to
protest” and “to ascertain what plans the NSW Police have to ensure an
appropriate balance is struck between these rights and the need to
maintain the security of visiting Heads of State”. 
 
At the meeting, Supt Rolph indicated that, unlike the ‘restricted’
areas, the larger  ‘declared areas’ of the city would not be fenced off
and that members of the public would not be prevented from entering
them. Supt Rolph also indicated that protest in these areas would be
possible.
 
Supt Rolph acknowledged that some of those attending APEC were the
leaders of very unpopular governments and that it was to be expected
that numerous groups within the Australian community would be anxious to
make known their opposition to those governments.
 
Ms Hale expressed her concern that police arrangements based on a
‘worst-case scenario’ were not only excessive but created a frame of
mind among members of the police that any dissent, no matter how
peaceful, was to be actively discouraged. Police arrangements include
the installation of more than 300 face-recognition surveillance cameras,
testing of a $600,000 water-cannon by the Riot Squad, and the conversion
of 31 State Transit buses to “mobile holding cells”.
 
“The right to protest is fundamental to a democratic society,” Ms Hale
said. “It is what should distinguish this country from some of the
autocratic regimes that will be represented at APEC.”
 
“I hope that all police involved in APEC will be reminded of the need
to preserve the democratic rights of citizens when considering how to
protect visiting heads of state,” Ms Hale concluded. 
 
Contact: Chris Holley (02) 9230 3030 / 0437 779 546