United Nations human rights experts have detailed “serious concerns” with anti-protest laws recently adopted in Queensland, which they say are “inherently disproportionate” and criminalise peaceful demonstrations.
The state passed laws in November to ban “locking devices” used by activists to delay their removal during acts of civil disobedience.
The legislation was justified on public safety grounds but many of the government’s public claims – including that climate change activists had laced the devices with traps and intended to cause harm – were not backed by any evidence.