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from me on yesterday's arrest of a woman in Ballarat:
While regional Victoria is currently under stage 3 stay-at-home orders and gatherings are banned, the arrest of somebody purely for the act of planning a protest creates an alarming precedent. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/02/three-men-arrested-ahead-of-planned-anti-lockdown-protest-in-victoria
from me on yesterday's arrest of a woman in Ballarat: While regional Victoria is currently under stage 3 stay-at-home orders and gatherings are banned, the arrest of somebody purely for the act of planning a protest creates an alarming precedent. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/02/three-men-arrested-ahead-of-planned-anti-lockdown-protest-in-victoria
Arresting people pre-emptively for the act of organising peaceful protests or for social media posts is something that happens all too often under authoritarian regimes, and it should not be happening in a democracy like Australia.
What’s more, heavy-handed police tactics could strengthen the resolve of the anti-lockdown movement and simply serve their interests by galvanising members.
As @LibertyVic says, police should exercise discretion & restraint, and ultimately the outcomes will be better. https://twitter.com/LibertyVic/status/1301335389869760515?s=20
