“Mr Rolles was arrested in late June, when he was pulled off the street in Sydney for allegedly blocking roads and obstructing traffic.”
Since late June, Greg Rolles must produce on demand his computer and mobile phone for police inspection, and tell them his passwords.
He is not allowed to use any encrypted messaging apps, like Signal or WhatsApp. He can only have one mobile phone. […]
These are the strict technology-related bail conditions imposed on some Blockade Australia climate protesters — a development legal experts have criticised as “unusual” and “extreme”. […]
Defence lawyer Mark Davis, who is representing some of the Blockade Australia activists, said the vagueness of the prohibition was concerning.
“It used to name the things you couldn’t have, and then they made it all encrypted communication,” he said.
“It could be you’re on your PlayStation.”
He also takes issue with the non-association rules, and the lack of specificity about what an “association” might be. Mr Davis said one of his clients had been pulled in by police after they reacted with a “thumbs up” emoji to Facebook comments […]
You assume, but I am a minority living in China, where I have seen first hand that the state monopoly on violence has led to peaceful protests being branded as terrorism and violently crushed, not to mention the cultural genocide and actual genocide being committed as we speak. But hey, there are zero guns in China (even the black market guns come from the government) and our harmonious socialist society has an even lower crime rate than Australia!
You should be grateful that you still have a King to reset your government in case things get too out of hand, because the only other cure for fascism is violence (banned btw).
The king doesn’t reset the government and him interfering with our politics would probably lead to more support for us to be a republic.
There is a balance between authoritarianism and sensible regulation. China is too far one way, the USA is too far the other way. Freedom comes from the abilitiy for more people to live their lives as they please.
Protesting is important. Protecting civil rights is important. Australia goes too far on quashing disriptive protest, but is tolerant of peaceful organised protest. Disruptive protest is more effective.
State-approved “peaceful protest” is not protest. This post is a criticism over the idea of state-approved dissent and isnt about condoning violence.
It still can be. However, it’s often just a demonstration rather than a protest.
I am with you. I do wish we lived in an ideal world and in ideal times.