OCCUPY SYDNEY FIGHT FOR RIGHT TO RALLY

Occupy Sydney protesters in Martin Place, Sydney CBD. Picture: Bill Hearne Source: The Daily Telegraph

HERALD SUN - AAP - November 03, 20119:04PM

OCCUPY Sydney protesters will have to fight in court for the right to hold a rally this weekend at their venues of choice.

NSW Police are seeking a Supreme Court order to prevent an Occupy Sydney protest taking place on Saturday "in its proposed form", a police spokesman told AAP today.

"Police have tried repeatedly - but without success - to negotiate a route through the CBD that will allow the protest to proceed peacefully and safely," the spokesman said.

"We acknowledge, respect and support the community's right to protest lawfully and peacefully."

 

 

The legal action comes after 40 protesters were arrested during a dawn raid that ended the group's week-long protest in Sydney's CBD last month.

Occupy NSW spokesman Ben Peterson said the legal action by police was "a worrying indication of the erosion of all of our rights to freedom of speech and assembly".

"Our occupation at Martin Place was a peaceful assembly for eight days, involving up to 2000 people at different times," Mr Peterson said in a statement.

"It is the NSW police who have adopted a heavy-handed approach, including sending riot police, dogs, horses and vans to a peaceful rally on Saturday, October 22 and the violent pre-dawn raid on Sunday, October 23.

"We are calling on the NSW police to reconsider and work with us to facilitate our peaceful march and rally, and to respect the rights of all people who want to be a part of this movement."

Issues raised by police include planned rallies at Town Hall and Wynyard Park.

The owner of Town Hall, the Glebe Administration Board, has not consented to the rally because a wedding with 200 guests and a school musical event are to take place there on Saturday, police said.

"The proposed stationary protest at Wynyard Park, a bus and rail interchange, will (also) cause major issues for pedestrian, public transport and general vehicle traffic," the police spokesman said.

"In short, we are worried about the implications of the organisers' protest plans on public safety, crowd control and traffic management."

The matter will be heard in the NSW Supreme Court tomorrow.