[Greens-Media] PM must apologise to peaceful marchers

[Edwards, Jon (Sen K. Nettle)]

08.09.07

PM must apologise to peaceful marchers


Greens Senator Kerry Nettle today congratulated Sydneysiders for
asserting their right to protest peacefully and called on John Howard to
apologise for demonising the peaceful protesters as violent.

Senator Nettle addressed the rally at Town Hall and called on APEC
leaders to commit to real measures to stop climate change, to end the
war in Iraq, and protect workers' rights throughout the region.

"The Prime Minister owes an apology to the thousands of peaceful
citizens who protested today for having wrongly portrayed them as
violent," Senator Nettle said.

"The NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione should also apologise to
the people of NSW who have paid the bill for a massively expensive
police over reaction today.

"The Prime Minister, Morris Iemma, and Commissioner Scipione have been
proved wrong by the peaceful citizens of Sydney and their decision to
spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the massive police operation
during APEC must now be questioned.

"Today's peaceful protesters sent a message to world leaders that their
failure to act in the best interests of the environment, of ordinary
peoples' rights, and bring peace is unacceptable.

"Unfortunately, The Prime Minister's decision to turn Sydney into a
mini-police state today has broadcast around the world a negative image
of Sydney and Australia that will be the real legacy of the APEC week."

Contact - Jon Edwards 0428 213 146


Jon Edwards
Chief of Staff
Senator Kerry Nettle
Australian Greens Senator for NSW
111-117 Devonshire St
Surry Hills
Sydney NSW 2010
Canberra 02 6277 3501
Sydney   02 9690 2038
Mobile    0428 213 146