Labor's new anti-protest laws are stifling people's democratic rights according to the Greens. The laws passed the Parliament with support from the Liberals in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Greens have been deeply concerned by these laws since they were announced almost a year ago. They will criminalise the use of materials like ropes, chains and locks - items that have been used in peaceful protests for decades like tree sits to stop native forest logging and Zelda D'Aprano famously chaining herself to the Commonwealth Building for women's rights - a moment Labor MPs continue to celebrate, recently posing to take photos next to her statue.
Police are already misusing the powers they have, with IBAC investigations finding excessive use of OC spray and other force. This was seen in 2019 when police violently dispersed peaceful climate protesters outside a mining conference.
The Greens warn that these sweeping powers will inevitably be misused against peaceful protesters and further entrench the disproportionate targeting of First Nations people and multicultural communities.
It comes after new research from the Centre Against Racial Profiling revealed that Victoria Police continue to disproportionately impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other communities of colour through their stop and search powers.
As stated by the Victorian Greens justice spokesperson, Katherine Copsey:
"Labor's anti-protest laws will stifle people's fundamental democratic right to speak truth to power and call out injustice.
"Labor is not just criminalising peaceful protest, they are handing over more discretionary powers for police to search children which the Minister himself has admitted is incompatible with the rights to protect children. We know from recent reports that First Nations and people of colour will be disproportionately targeted by these search powers. It is shameful."
