Summit protesters, whether ‘nasty’ (spiky) or ‘nice’ (fluffy), aren’t very popular with state authorities, that’s for sure. So while the trials of a number of G20 protesters who appeared earlier this month at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court have been set for August, according to Frank Walker and Kerry-Anne Walsh:
Demonstrators and anyone under suspicion can be arrested and held without bail under unprecedented police powers being brought in for the APEC summit in Sydney… Tough APEC security legislation being drawn up by NSW cabinet this week will include the suspension of normal bail provisions, new powers to do random searches and ban “prohibited” people from restricted zones. [NSW Police Minister David] Campbell said if police arrested anyone who did not obey orders to disperse or leave an area, they could be held in jail until APEC was over. Demonstrators will be kept well away from the world leaders during the summit from September 7 to 9 in order to avoid any “embarrassment” to VIPs. Known troublemakers will be refused entry to the city restricted zone. ~ Crackdown on ‘nasty’ summit protesters, Sydney Morning Herald, May 20, 2007
On the other hand — in an exercise that is estimated at costing hundreds of millions of dollars — Australian authorities will be locking down Sydney in order to roll out the red carpet to 21 even bigger troublemakers / ‘world leaders’, including the war criminals George Bush and Vladimir Putin, and Communist dictator Hu Jintao. Kinda like what’s happening in Heiligendamm, Rostock, and cities across Germany in preparation for next month’s (June 6–8) G8 Summit… so far, the only thing missing is pre-emptive raids on protest organisers.
Can’t wait for that one!
See also : Mike Head, Police-state measures for APEC summit in Sydney, May 21, 2007
