Overreaching
Posted by tungtide on June 30, 2008, 7:12 pm
If you are planning to travel to Sydney anytime in the month of July, you might want to check your desire to express yourself at the door. Because of World Youth Day the police will be granted:
Extraordinary new powers will allow police to arrest and fine people for “causing annoyance” to World Youth Day participants and permit partial strip searches at hundreds of Sydney sites, beginning today.
People who fail to comply will be subject to a $5500 fine.
The laws, which operate until the end of July, have the potential to make a crime of wearing a T-shirt with a message on it, undertaking a Chaser-style stunt, handing out condoms at protests, riding a skateboard or even playing music, critics say.
The article from the Sydney Morning Herald is here, while Sean’s blog was where I stumbled across the subject in the first place.
Update (7/7/08): Sean was not arrested for wearing his hat.
Janelle said
Sounds like Sydney is taking a hint from the Patriot Act. At least theirs has a time limit…or so they say.
tungtide said
I’m seeing more and more blogs discussing this issue. Seems like most of the Australians don’t like the any more than I do.
The biggest problem is that we have a (religious) group getting preferential treatment at the expense of the general populace. More than that, the preferential treatment punishes the populace for legal, non-threatening behavior that is only considered “annoying” by official definition.
I honestly hope there are massive (peaceful, possibly annoying) protests that try to show the government just how wrong they are.
Sean the Blogonaut said
Thanks for the shout out.
I will be in Sydney on friday wearing my godless cap.