[GJM] Animal Rights and Pope protesting - Australian court rules anti-protest laws are "unconstitutional"

[ecotort at gn.apc.org]

See below for "Australian court rules anti-protest laws are 
unconstitutional",

Question:     if the Aussies can do it, why cant we????
Answer:      we have the same basic laws, http://www.ecotort.gn.apc.org 
so WE CAN!!


Hi, Thanks so much for the great info you've sent out regarding Animal 
Rights protesting, including Sequani (Sean Kirtley imprisonment).
 
Firstly I should let you know that I've been a Vegan Animal Rights 
activist for the last 7 years & also protest for Human Right, our civil 
liberties, against the war/arms, etc. It's quite amazing how different 
police forces react differently, e.g.. City of London Police always have 
treated me fairly and with respect & the Metropolitan Police mostly 
treat me with aggression and intimidate continuously! I'm a peaceful 
protester who is disgusted that abusive/corrupt industries, companies, 
etc are continuously protected by the police/govt. Shouldn't the police 
be working for the public rather than big industry/the govt?!
 
When it comes to vivisection (animal 'testing'), yes, it is definitely 
unscientific and completely dangerous to us. I haven't used 
pharmaceutical drugs of any kind for the last 7 years & am completely 
healthy! Thalidomide WAS in fact tested on animals, as was Vioxx 
(http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/11/merck-pays-5-bi.html). When 
I get shouted at by passing public that I "only care about animals" they 
don't stay around to hear the extent of human damage vivisection 
constantly causes!!! 
 
A brilliant website showing 101 reasons why vivisection does not work
http://www.iaapea.com/101.php 
 
Why Chemotherapy is poison & natural cures are best
http://www.naturalnews.com:80/023626.html
 
Vaccinations are of course also fraudulent, this tells you why you must 
never vaccinate 
http://www.livway.org/variolaevaccinae.htm
 
This news clipping is a few years old, the figures are probably double 
those quoted now!
 
There are many reasons animal abuse must be stopped....
http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/E4B3303E-AF48-4DCC-98D1-A31347E96721/8718/GaertnerAnimalAbuseViolence.pdf
 
This shows that protests do make an impact, especially when it makes 
vivisection 'leaders' such as Colin Blakemore think about what he's 
doing! 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/may/31/anecessaryevil (the 
word 'evil' stands out here!)
 
There are many people in prison because they dared to hold a banner, 
give out leaflets or chant/shout their feelings during protest, purely 
because they want all the horror/crimes against innocent animals/people 
to stop! The only reason vivisection continues is money, pure & simple 
and in the meantime thousands upon thousands of animals will be 
tortured, murdered daily & people will continue to suffer too!
 
Thanks again
Janet (name changed...)




  http://real-us.news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080715/wl_nm/pope_australia_youth_dc


  Australia pope protest laws "unconstitutional": court

By Michael Perry /Tue July 15, 12:35 AM ET/

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Anti-protest laws imposed for Pope Benedict's visit 
to Sydney this week, which could see protesters arrested for annoying 
Catholic pilgrims, were unconstitutional, a court ruled on Tuesday.

Under the laws, protesters could be arrested or fined A$5,500 (US$5,340) 
for wearing anti-Catholic T-shirts or for handing out condoms in protest 
at church doctrine on sex and marriage.

Civil liberties leaders said the laws stifled freedom of speech and were 
open to abuse by police who were mounting an Olympic-style security 
operation for the papal visit.

The Federal Court in Sydney ruled on Tuesday that the law relating to 
annoying and inconveniencing pilgrims went beyond the intention of the 
local state parliament.

"We now have a lot more confidence to take to the streets to condemn 
Pope Benedict's policies against condom use, against contraception, 
against homosexuality," Rachel Evans from the "No Pope" group which 
challenged the laws.

"We are glad the court has ruled that we do have the freedom of 
expression to communicate our political views on Saturday."

Evans said "No Pope" protesters welcomed young Catholics in Sydney, but 
would hand them coat hangers to protest against backyard abortions, 
condoms to promote safe sex, and stickers with gay themes to promote the 
rights of homosexuals.

The anti-protest laws have acted as a lightning rod for various protest 
groups which plan to rally on Saturday as hundreds of thousands of 
pilgrims march to a papal vigil.

The court ruling comes as hundreds of thousands of young Catholics 
gathered for the opening mass of World Youth Day, the church's largest 
youth festival aimed at revitalizing the church.

Reflecting the religious fervour in Sydney, "Ratzinger Rules" was spray 
painted on a war memorial overnight. Josef Ratzinger is the birth name 
of Pope Benedict.

Pope Benedict texted thousands of young pilgrims in Australia on 
Tuesday, urging them to renew their faith.

"Young friend, God and his people expect much from u because u have 
within you the Fathers supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus - BXVI," read 
the first of the Pope's daily text messages which will be sent out 
during World Youth Day.

In Australia, home to the world's biggest gay and lesbian mardi gras and 
where abortion and stem cell research is legal, the Catholic church's 
teachings often fall on deaf ears.

Some 5 million Australians describe themselves as Catholic, but less 
than one million attend Sunday mass and the number may have dropped to 
about 100,000 in the past 5 years.

The Pope will attend World Youth Day events from Thursday, culminating 
in a Sunday mass before some 300,000 pilgrims.

The Pope has said he will apologize to Australian victims of sexual 
abuse in the church. Broken Rites, which represents abuse victims, has a 
list of 107 convictions for church abuse, but says there may be 
thousands more victims as only a few go to court.

"I'm glad there will be an apology, but the church needs to do more to 
alleviate the living hell of those who have endured the ultimate 
betrayal," said sexual assault lawyer Vivian Waller. "The church must 
embrace justice rather than playing legal charades," she said, claiming 
the Catholic church in Australia regularly used the legal system to 
avoid sex abuse cases.

($1=A$1.03)

(Editing by David Fox)


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