Arrested for FASHION and ATTITUDES alone?!
The New South Wales Government brings laws in swiftly to arrest anyone wearing an offensive T-Shirt, or someone who is being annoying.
Australians have been warned: Don't get caught annoying the crowds when they gather here later this month to see the pope.
New regulations give police and emergency services workers the power to order anyone to stop behaviour 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 $5,300 fine(!).
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 Pope Benedict XVI will conduct mass and lead prayer meetings when he visits.
Violators can face a fine of over $5,000 under the regulations, which critics are calling a heavy-handed blow to free speech.
"These are powers to stop people taking things in ... like a paint bomb," (Police Commissioner Andrew) Scipione said.
(What the fuck?! Who would do that?! Who thinks someone plans to? Secret paint bomb blueprints? Gathered items of tins of paint, small fireworks, wires and timers? I'd love to see some proof of risk.)
Anna Katzman, the president of the New South Wales Bar Association, which represents almost 3,000 lawyers in the state, said making someone's inconvenience the basis of a criminal offense was "unnecessary and repugnant."
"If I was to wear a T-shirt proclaiming that 'World Youth Day is a waste of public money' and refuse to remove it when an officer ... asks me to, I would commit a criminal offence," Katzman said. "How ridiculous is that?"
Lee Rhiannon, a state lawmaker with the left-leaning Greens party, said the definition of what was annoying was open to interpretation and the penalties in the new regulations were too severe.
Scipione's deputy, Dave Owens, said officers would act reasonably when deciding what is offensive, including clothing.
"Police officers do it every day of the week," Owens told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "We're not the fashion police, we're not killjoys."
(Uh, you're deciding what's legally wearable. By definition, you're policing fashion, so half wrong there at least.)
State Premier Morris Iemma, whose government is paying part of the costs of World Youth Day, defended the regulations, saying they would not be used to put down dissent.
"People have the right to protest; they can do so ... peacefully and lawfully," Iemma said.
(Except if they wear a T-Shirt saying "This event is a waste of taxpayer money.", then they just get arrested.)
World Youth Day spokesman Father Mark Podesta said the church had not sought the increased powers for police during the event.
Oh great, so our government just magically bent over and gave them this power?
It's official. Technically, since it's under his chain of command, Rudd finally fucked up. Nice going N.S.W.
(Although I'm not surprised it was Sydney that fucked up. If the city was a person, it'd have a major ego, think it was as cool as N.Y.C and be as thick as three bricks.)
Australians have been warned: Don't get caught annoying the crowds when they gather here later this month to see the pope.
New regulations give police and emergency services workers the power to order anyone to stop behaviour 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 $5,300 fine(!).
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 Pope Benedict XVI will conduct mass and lead prayer meetings when he visits.
Violators can face a fine of over $5,000 under the regulations, which critics are calling a heavy-handed blow to free speech.
"These are powers to stop people taking things in ... like a paint bomb," (Police Commissioner Andrew) Scipione said.
(What the fuck?! Who would do that?! Who thinks someone plans to? Secret paint bomb blueprints? Gathered items of tins of paint, small fireworks, wires and timers? I'd love to see some proof of risk.)
Anna Katzman, the president of the New South Wales Bar Association, which represents almost 3,000 lawyers in the state, said making someone's inconvenience the basis of a criminal offense was "unnecessary and repugnant."
"If I was to wear a T-shirt proclaiming that 'World Youth Day is a waste of public money' and refuse to remove it when an officer ... asks me to, I would commit a criminal offence," Katzman said. "How ridiculous is that?"
Lee Rhiannon, a state lawmaker with the left-leaning Greens party, said the definition of what was annoying was open to interpretation and the penalties in the new regulations were too severe.
Scipione's deputy, Dave Owens, said officers would act reasonably when deciding what is offensive, including clothing.
"Police officers do it every day of the week," Owens told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. "We're not the fashion police, we're not killjoys."
(Uh, you're deciding what's legally wearable. By definition, you're policing fashion, so half wrong there at least.)
State Premier Morris Iemma, whose government is paying part of the costs of World Youth Day, defended the regulations, saying they would not be used to put down dissent.
"People have the right to protest; they can do so ... peacefully and lawfully," Iemma said.
(Except if they wear a T-Shirt saying "This event is a waste of taxpayer money.", then they just get arrested.)
World Youth Day spokesman Father Mark Podesta said the church had not sought the increased powers for police during the event.
Oh great, so our government just magically bent over and gave them this power?
It's official. Technically, since it's under his chain of command, Rudd finally fucked up. Nice going N.S.W.
(Although I'm not surprised it was Sydney that fucked up. If the city was a person, it'd have a major ego, think it was as cool as N.Y.C and be as thick as three bricks.)