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Hello friends! I want take a moment to talk about COVID-19 criminalisation as state govt& #39;s bring in tighter restrictions and dramatically ramp up policing (thread)
Policing & criminalisation don& #39;t address underlying social problems like poverty & homelessness. They attack symptoms of inequality w/o addressing the cause. This approach also targets certain groups...
It& #39;s critical to note that the first people to cop fines in NSW were sex workers. Rather than ensuring that everyone is informed & provided for, the response has been to slap people too poor not to work w/ fines https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-27/sydney-morning-briefing-friday-march-27/12093846">https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020...
From the @scarletalliance press release:
"Criminalisation is an ill-informed measure. There is clear evidence that well-communicated public health messaging, community engagement & peer education are the best ways to change behaviour at a community level."
"Criminalisation is an ill-informed measure. There is clear evidence that well-communicated public health messaging, community engagement & peer education are the best ways to change behaviour at a community level."
"UNAIDS calls for a human-rights approach to the pandemic & explicitly recommended against criminalisation approaches to COVID-19. Criminalisation does not deliver health outcomes and in fact creates barriers"
http://www.scarletalliance.org.au/media/News_Item.2020-03-27.4120">https://www.scarletalliance.org.au/media/New...
http://www.scarletalliance.org.au/media/News_Item.2020-03-27.4120">https://www.scarletalliance.org.au/media/New...
In other jurisdictions, we already see cops targeting queers. For instance, eight men were arrested in Spain while hooking up. NB: the reporting here is absolute trash 
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="đźš®" title="Put litter in its place symbol" aria-label="Emoji: Put litter in its place symbol"> https://nypost.com/2020/03/26/cops-arrest-group-that-planned-orgy-amid-coronavirus-lockdown-in-spain/">https://nypost.com/2020/03/2...
It& #39;s naive to think that cops will use emergency powers to crack down on rich / white people. It won& #39;t be people at ski resorts, cocktail parties & beaches that will bear the costs of criminalisation. It will be FN people, POC, queers & poor folks
Policing is a failure on the part of the govt to enact prevention strategies & community-based health measures. Using police to enforce public health is not an evidence-based approach and will harm already vulnerable people. COVID-19 is not a crime
