International Solidarity under attack on May Day in Brisbane (Meanjin).

Figs do not grow on barren trees 
            Ernie Lane in Dawn to Dusk
            - reminiscences of a rebel

On Monday, 6 May 2024 I attended the annual May Day celebrations in the Royal National Association showgrounds. Around midday I attended a rally organised by the Queensland Council of Unions, featuring Qld Premier Steven Miles as the keynote speaker. During his speech, the Police superintendent-in-charge deployed a line of police officers into the crowd of union members in front of the speaking platform. At the time, I was standing with my back to the dais when I was pushed violently in the back by a number of police officers. To my left was a retired member of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) who was pushed to the ground by four or five police. The crowd in front of the platform responded by chanting Free Free Palestine as a large part of the contingent in the annual May Day march were supporting the Palestinian people against the genocide committed by the Israeli government. Israel is supported by state and federal governments in Australia.

I heard one demonstrator saying that Steven Miles had blood on his hands because of the Queensland government’s support for arms dealers providing Israel with weapons to carry out the genocide identified by the International Court of Justice.

A number of other issues were raised about the complicity of the government in the genocide.

Steven Miles made no attempt to refute the allegations put to him, relying instead on police to stifle free speech. A Snr Sgt Emma directed male police to grab one of the people in the crowd who was holding a megaphone. They  wrenched the loud hailer from her and attempted to grab her. She fled the scene. They also grabbed a person near her and attempted to place him under arrest. They were forced to desist when union members objected to police behaviour.

I did not obstruct police nor did I say anything to interrupt the premier’s speech. I was concerned about my comrade who had been savagely assaulted and I was particularly concerned because I know that he has a serious cardiovascular condition.

I later accompanied the Justice for Palestine (Meanjin) police liaison person who questioned  Senior Sergeant Emma about the arrest and subsequently asked her superintendent-in-charge about the well-being of their prisoner.

The superintendent was unsympathetic, simply saying that the retired union member would be processed at the police watchhouse in Brookes Street Fortitude Valley.

Soon after, while Phil Monsour was singing on the platform recently vacated by Jacqueline King (QCU), Stephen Miles (Premier) and Sally McManus (ACTU) I was approached by a police officer saying that he had received a complaint from the unions questioning my right to be present at the May Day celebrations. This was a first for me because I have attended the May Day celebrations every year since 1978 during democratic right struggles in Queensland. I asked the police officer which union had made this request. He did not answer so I pointed out to him that the annual May Day march and rally were organised by the Queensland Council of Unions not any individual union.

He asked me what union I was part of and I replied I am a retired member of the CPSU and that I have been a union member all my working life (since 1967).

The police officer then gave me a direction to move away from the stage. I pointed out that I had every right to be there. However as there were five or six police officers in close attendance I complied with his direction.

About an hour later I was informed by the JFP police liaison person that the union member had been released after being charged with ‘obstruct  police‘ and had a bail condition which said he would not be able to return to the May Day celebrations.

If it turns out that an officer of the QCU has played any role in these events in an attempt to stifle legitimate grievances by unionists in attendance, I believe this is a serious breach of union principles  of international solidarity with an oppressed people currently experiencing a genocide.

As far as the conduct of police is concerned, it is clear that the superintendent-in-charge has little, if any, grasp of his limited powers under the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000.

Under section 45 of the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act, a police officer cannot give a lawful ‘move on’ direction to a person who is participating in an ‘authorised’ public assembly. 

The Peaceful Assembly Act 1992 gives a person the right to assemble peacefully with others in a public place (s5 PAA). A public place is defined in the act as ‘a road, a place open to or used by the public as of right, and a place for the time being open to or used by the public’ (s4 PA Act). 

Yesterday’s May Day assembly in front of the dais was a public assembly. The law provides all union members with immunity from police move-on directions. We were perfectly within our rights to stand our ground when asked to move on. I should also warn union officials that they do not have the right to rescind participation by a union member in such public assemblies. The right to public assembly resides in legislation fought for during the democratic right struggle in Queensland from 1977 till 1979. It is unlawful for any union official to rescind that right. More importantly, it is a serious breach of union principles to call on police to disperse union members showing solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Workers of all countries unite!

Ian Curr
7 May 2024