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APEC protesters decide on
new route
PAUL SIMS
The
Australian
Thursday September 6, 2007
APEC protesters beaten by a court order preventing their march
along certain Sydney streets have decided on a new route for their
rally.
Police expect to face unprecedented levels of violence and have
warned a full-scale riot is "probable" when up to 20,000
APEC protesters march in central Sydney on Saturday.
Police won a NSW Supreme Court intervention banning the march
from travelling along Martin Place, past the US Consulate, the
Cenotaph and major banks.
Rally organisers from the Stop Bush Coalition held an emergency
strategy meeting to rethink their options and came up with a new
route they hope will be acceptable to police.
(Article continues below)
If it's not, and the march goes ahead, the protesters will not
lawfully be allowed to march on the streets, and they will be
arrested and charged for obstructing traffic, police have said.
"To ensure certainty for the many people who wish to participate
in our peaceful protest and march we have decided on the following
new route," a Stop Bush Coalition statement said.
"We will continue to gather at Town Hall from 10am for a
peaceful protest on Saturday September 8.
"We will now march down George Street, along Park Street
and into Hyde Park North. The rally will conclude with music and
bands.
"The NSW Police have said in court today and the Supreme
Court has also said they support this route."
Stop Bush Coalition spokeswoman Anna Samson said her group has
no doubt police will approve the new route.
"The police mentioned in court and the Supreme Court has
mentioned that this is a route not to be disputed," she said.
Usually, the organisers of a scheduled protest must give police
seven days notice of their action, and win approval for the march
which then attracts legal protections for some summary offences
such as obstructing traffic.
Ms Samson said police had no right to object to a lack of notice
for the new route in this case.
"The police have created the circumstances that have made
it impossible for us to give them seven days notice," she
said.
Earlier on Wednesday, up to 300 school students from across Sydney
skipped classes to gather in the city's CBD to protest against
US President George W Bush without incident.
A linked protest in Melbourne drew about 200 protesters, many
in school uniforms, to protest against Mr Bush's arrival in Australia.
The action was called The Walk out Against George Bush student
rally.
One of their signs read: "Bush is coming to Australia, stop
this weapon of mass destruction."
Protesters also chanted: "No racism, no war, this is what
we're fighting for."
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