[pf] Australian Police Rough Up Green MPs Nandor And Sue, In Melbourne

· This is Tuesday afternoon, in New Zealand and in Australia.  David Mac.

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From: Paul Bensemann <Paul.Bensemann@parliament.govt.nz>
To:  <davd@ihug.co.nz>, ...
Subject: Australian Police Rough Up Nandor And Sue, In Melbourne
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 13:12:48 +1200

        12 Sept, 2000

  Greens deplore police violence in Melbourne

  Australian police have over-reacted against demonstrators at the World
Economic Forum in Melbourne, New Zealand Green Party Co-Leader Rod Donald
said today.
  Green MP Nandor Tanczos said he and Sue Bradford were on the receiving
end of police violence in Melbourne this morning, as riot police trampled
over a group of 40 protesters who were sitting on the ground peacefully
outside the Melbourne casino. [both are Green Members of Parliament, in NZ.
D.]
  Although the two were not badly hurt, other protesters have lost teeth or
received other serious injuries.
  "I am appalled that the World Economic Forum is being supported by
Australian authorities in such a violent way,"  Mr Donald said.
  "This self-appointed organisation promoting the interests of
multinational corporates has been responsible for some of the worst
examples of oppression against the poor in the past few decades. The
environmental health of the planet has also suffered immensely from the WEF
globalisation model." 
  Mr Donald also dissociated the Greens from the Melbourne protesters who
attacked a car carrying Western Australian Premier Richard Court.
  "We support peaceful blockades but are passionately against violence. At
every large-scale demonstration such as this, there will be people who try
to overstep the mark, but I believe it is remarkable how restrained
demonstrators have been in general, with so many thousand people involved
and with such a vital and justified cause. 
  "Nandor and Sue have stuck to their pledge to be non-violent, no matter
what the provocation, and the Green caucus backs them in their actions 100
per cent.
  "These protests will soon be regarded as necessary, commendable and
mainstream, just as the Springbok Tour protests and anti-nuclear blockades
are now widely accepted," Mr Donald said. 

  Rod Donald, MP:  +64 4 470 6660, +64 25 507183
  Paul Bensemann, press secretary, +64 4 470 6679, +64 21 2142665

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sent on by David.
(David MacClement) davd@ihug.co.nz 
http://www.emucities.com.au/member/davd/index.html#top
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