Albert Park arrests go to court
By Felicity Whitworth
MELBOURNE — Over the past six months there have been 246 arrests at protest actions at Albert Park. One hundred and one people have been charged. Their hearings will take place on May 23-25 at the Prahran Magistrate's Court.
The primary charge is trespass under the Australian Grand Prix Act 1994. This extraordinary act privatises a public park. The Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) is given powers to "cordon or fence off" any area within the park, for any length of time, and to prohibit or regulate activity within the park.
The act also gives the government power to regulate any protest against the Grand Prix. The current regulations impose a penalty of $2000 for persons entering into, remaining in, or hindering or interfering with AGPC activities in an area which has been fenced or cordoned off by the AGPC.
According to Margaret Gillespie, a member of the Save Albert Park group, the arrests have had a significant impact on activists in the campaign. The majority of people in the campaign "had never been political activists", she said. "But people were so outraged by the whole process that they feel it is their duty to be arrested to protest it."
Direct experience of the role of the police at protest actions has also had an impact on protesters. Gillespie emphasised that at times the police have acted properly and have been "fair minded". But there have been other times when they have acted "appallingly".
"I think a lot of us were very respectful of police before. But when the police have behaved badly, it has shattered a lot of people's illusions. The other important thing is that they prevent us from stopping the work most of the time. So it looks to us like they are in the pocket of the AGPC and the government."
The hearings this week represent the first step in the Save Albert Park group's legal battle over the act. The group has 70 volunteers with legal expertise working on the campaign, including judges, people in private practice and community legal services. Gillespie particularly praised the support of the Fitzroy Legal Service, which is providing solicitors to defend the first 101 arrestees.