Thursday, July 03, 2008



Australian restrictions for visit of Pope

We read:
"New regulations making it a crime to annoy or inconvenience people gathering in Sydney during Pope Benedict XVI's visit later this month were criticized Tuesday as a heavy-handed blow to free speech.

The laws will apply in dozens of areas of downtown Sydney - including the city's landmark opera house, train stations and city parks - that are designated venues for World Youth Day, a Catholic evangelical festival at which the pontiff will conduct mass and lead prayer meetings.

The regulations give police and emergency services workers power to order anyone to stop behavior that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day event," according to a New South Wales state government gazette. Anyone who does not comply faces a 5,500 Australian dollar (US$5,300) fine.

Source

A lot depends on how this is enforced. The aim is to give police undisputed power to stop Leftist "protesters" from disrupting the Papal visit -- and the powers apply only during the visit. If Leftists confined their "protests" to speech only, the restrictions would not be needed but it usually takes police to keep Leftist demonstrators peaceful. Causing maximum disruption seems to be their usual aim -- lying down in front of vehicles, throwing things etc., etc.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Harassing people is not speech.

Anonymous said...

"A lot depends on how this is enforced."

It should be enforced in a way that leftists, who usually incite violence at these events, will have a "very clear" memory of how they should not have disrupted the Pope's visit. And hopefully, when they get out of the hospital, they'll think twice about the next event!

Anonymous said...

I was hoping to see this article here as it is a significant blow to free speech. I am a little concerned that it (and the comments) appear to only gloat that it may apply disproportionately to 'Lefties'.
It could impact anyone who wishes to protest the Pope's visit or the doctrinaire positions he espouses. While many of these are 'left' issues, that isn't the concern - if you make it a crime to 'cause annoyance or inconvenience' you are essentially crimilanising lots of legal demonstration and political expression will be severely curtailed.
Why can't people here understand that if you silence lefty you are only silencing yourself eventually!
*Sigh*

Anonymous said...

I agree that everyone should be allowed an opportunity to speak, but activities such as sitting in front of cars and throwing things are not speech and are not protected. If the protests are peaceful, then let them be. If they try to physically impede the event, they shoudl be arrested for disorderly conduct.

Anonymous said...

How about a show of respect for a visiting head-of-state, as well as a religious leader? You can respectfully disagree without becoming disagreable - or has that become a lost art?

Anonymous said...

*Sigh*
Obviously, those of you on the left only see what you choose to see. (so what else is new) No one here is against protesting, "SO LONG AS IT IS WITHIN THE LAW"! That is how you protect everyone's right to protest!

Anonymous said...

Freedom of speech is not freedom of behavior. Lying in front of cars, throwing things and being disruptive is not speech and shouldn't be protected. However, I don't like the idea that the law restricts behavior that causes 'annoyance or inconvenience' because that can be interpreted to mean speech.

Anonymous said...

"No one here is against protesting, "SO LONG AS IT IS WITHIN THE LAW"!"

The point here is that they made a new law - which is clearly against the principles of a free society - in order to push the boundaries. They already have the right to remove demonstrators from roads etc. but now they also have the right to remove those peaceful ones who just say the wrong things. You know, cause annoyance to other people.

I can't believe how people can actually defend this law. It's the familiar double standard again I guess. What would you say if pro life groups were subjected to similar bans against causing annoyance (i.e. now visible signs and DEFINITELY no pictures) just because some liberal head of state came to visit?

Anonymous said...

T-shirts with slogans "unsympathetic" to the Pope or his visit will also be considered "disruptive behavior" under these temporary laws and subject to fines etc.