Asia-Pacific News
Court win for papal visit protestors in Australia
Jul 15, 2008, 5:24 GMT
Sydney - A Sydney court Tuesday declared unconstitutional harsh police powers brought in for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Australia and a gathering of young Catholics, much to the joy of an anti-pope protest group.
The new laws would have allowed arrests for 'causing annoyance or inconvenience' to the young pilgrims, 250,000 of whom came to Sydney to greet the pontiff.
The laws, more far-reaching than those passed for last year's visit of US President George W Bush, threatened to put protestors on the streets who otherwise would have stayed at home.
It was not only the NoToPope Coalition that celebrated the court victory. Catholic lawyer and priest Father Frank Brennan said the government had gone too far because 'the rights of free speech and assembly should not be curtailed only because visiting pilgrims might be annoyed or inconvenienced in public places.'
The outbreak of public anger against the new rules had been so intense that some warned of pitched battles in the streets.
Cameron Murphy, president of the Council of Civil Liberties, said that under the rules a police officer might issue a fine after deciding that someone's T-shirt slogan was offensive.
'That sort of thing is likely to escalate any problems that occur rather than prevent them,' he warned.
The pope arrived Sunday and will make his grand entrance to the World Youth Day celebrations on Thursday.
World Youth Day chief executive Danny Casey turned out to be prescient when he predicted protestors would be swamped by joyous youngsters and that peace would prevail.
'Everyone will be swept away with this wonderful wave of joy and enthusiasm,' he said.
And so it came to pass: the streets have been free of protestors and the parks chock-a-block with beaming pilgrims from 170 countries.
The pope leaves Monday after hosting the highlight of the celebrations: a Sunday morning mass at a city racecourse that could be attended by up to 500,000 worshippers, many of whom are to spend the the night before sleeping under the stars.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Asia-Pacific
- 1. Chinese dissidents hail late democracy activist Fang Lizhi
- 2. China "worried" over planned North Korea rocket launch
- 3. Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets Karen rebels
- 4. Chinese schoolboy sells kidney to buy iPad, iPhone
- 5. Myanmar president invites Karen rebels to form party
Older Talkback
page: 1
'The new laws would have allowed arrests for 'causing annoyance or inconvenience'' and also imposed very heavy fines.
Whoever made and voted for this law should be punished. This law would have made Gorbels blush. It is certainly as bad or worse than anything the Catholic Church has done. If I lived in Sydney this law would definitely motivate me to be as 'annoying and inconvenient' as possible. Not because I have an axe to grid against the church but because so many of my ancestors died to prevent such laws coming into force.
Being a small part of a huge event has been awe inspiring to say the least. It was gratifying to see the court case won, so that these serial annoyers could get their 15 minutes of mandatory anti-Christian ABC coverage out of the way and so that the world could see the Youth openly and utterly reject the stupidity they are peddling.
Viva Papa!
This 'NoToPople' group is barely a blip on the map. There have been more animal rights protests in central Sydney than Marxist anti-Catholic protests since WYD began. The only offence for visiting Catholics may be the sight of naked people protesting KFC, China and the live export of sheep to the Middle East. The Marxist anti-Catholic group/s get more media coverage than their numbers should really dictate. As for the controversial laws being overturned, they weren't necessary in the fist place. It's not like Sydney's Christian community is known for 'turning the other cheek' when they get picked on(see anti-muslim riots, lobbying to ban mosques etc).
'In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.'
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Horatio G. Spafford, March 17, 1814
page: 1
Bored With the MobJul 15th, 2008 - 06:39:10
Presumably these people are actively protesting the treatment of women and the same issues at every mosque in Australia ... no they aren't because they are cowards. Christians are a soft target because they 'turn the other cheek'. Protest the Muslims and I will be impressed.
If the folks visiting for world youth day wanted the opinion of the protestors, they'd ask for it. Do they really think that they are telling them anything they don't know. The people attending have never heard of condoms and if they see them on their shirt they'll have a revelation?
Clearly they have too much time on their hands and an elevated view of the importance of their opinion.
Nice group-think ... perhaps what you are accusing the Catholics of?
Regards,
Sick of 'Rent a Crowd'
Report this comment