Some are More Equal than Others

The conversations in the Bars were dark today. It has been a week that shows dark colours. We had our friend Graham in from his arrests and bailing. The situation is Tasmania is a hue or two from that elsewhere in the western world, once so 'free', but with increasingly dark clouds coming across.

Not many of my customers get arrested for simply standing by the road with a sign, let alone beaten and sprayed with noxious substances. That has happened this week to our friend. I will let him tell in his own words.

Following are copies of the daily reports from my very eventful week in Hobart. 

Tuesday March 4
After arriving in Hobart on Monday March 3, I tried to prepare myself as best I could for however things might work out this week. 

On Tuesday, at about 7.45am, I went and stood at the corner of Victoria and Macquarie Streets, Hobart. I held a placard which read, 

Every one has the right to life,  

Article 3 Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

on the front, and,  

Every child has the right to life,  

Article 6 Convention on the rights of the Child 

on the back. I also held an enlarged photo of an 8-week-old preborn baby. 

Now we can see just what the Law here, or rather our Socialist-Feminist-Green Government Legislators see as dangerous.

I wondered if the police would arrive in five minutes or if they would come at all. The traffic at that location is heavy and so many people would have seen the signs. It was also good for me to see a few friendly faces. By 10.30 the traffic had slowed down and I was beginning to think about having a break. 

It was just then though that a reporter from The Mercury newspaper showed up with a photographer and she did an interview. Not long after they left an ABC radio journalist and an ABC television reporter and cameraman arrived and did interviews.  

When the tv crew didn’t leave but hung around for a while I wondered if they knew something I didn’t. Sure enough at 11.20 the police showed up. 

The Media and the Police work hand in glove here, as befits a semi-totalitarian State.

They gave me a direction to leave even though I tried to explain that I was merely promoting these two UN documents.  

When I didn’t move on I was arrested and taken to the city police station. I was given bail on the condition that I agree not to go back to that place and I have to appear in the Magistrates Court on Friday morning. 

Reports of the action and the arrest were carried on the radio, television, in The Mercury, and perhaps elsewhere. 

Wednesday March 5
On Wednesday morning I went to Main Road in suburban Moonah and this time I had a sign saying,  

Should human rights apply to all human beings?  

On the front, and,  

Are unborn babies human beings?  

on the back. I had another photo of the 8-week-old preborn baby.  

(Fortunately I brought extra signs as the police have been keeping them.) 

At this point one has to ask those who argue for abortion, just what are your answers to these questions. 

I am sure they have an answer and could discuss and debate it, but as we see

 No-One is Allowed to Ask.

On this occasion no media showed up and perhaps that was in part due to the police arriving just 40 minutes after I got there. This time the police emphasised that the problem was the photo of the baby.  

They said that people had been complaining that it was offensive and that while I could hold the placard with the words I would have to get rid of the photo.  When I refused I was arrested again and taken to the local station. 

Just who would complain? Just who would be offended?

I am sure burglars are full of complaint when they are caught and 'offended' too. But they don't have their offendedness acted upon, do they?

Only the wicked would take offence.

I doubt we, or Graham will ever face his complainant. We shall not get to know just who complained. They are 'protected.

If they exist at all

As on the previous day I was charged with disobeying a police direction, rather than with an offence under the new Act (despite what some media reports have said). I was bailed under the same conditions and have to appear on Friday for this charge also at the Magistrates Court. I am very grateful that I have been offered legal representation. 

I plan to continue the street protests, but without breaching the bail conditions, up until the elections are held. Thanks very much for your support and we will see what else develops. 

Thursday March 6
Today, I stood on the footpath of one of Hobart's busiest streets and held a sign saying, Are unborn babies human beings? alongside an enlarged photo of an 8-week-old preborn baby.  

Sadly a disturbingly high number of people were willing to shout at me that they are not human! That was not the worst thing that happened though.  

After I had been there some hours,  

I was suddenly attacked from behind by a very angry woman.  

She grabbed the signs and began to scribble on them with felt pen. I grabbed them back before she did much damage but she then opened a shaken up can of Pepsi and sprayed it over me and then threw the partly full can which hit me in the face.  

She then left only to drive past a minute or two later and threw an unopened can of drink at me. It missed me but almost hit a couple who were standing nearby. I thought that would be the end of it but she parked and came back again. This time she just kept pushing herself into me, all the while maintaining screamed abuse. 

There was little I could do without getting violent myself but the whole thing was attracting a lot of attention and someone rang the police. An elderly man was very supportive through the whole incident which went on for about twenty minutes before the police came.

Good man.

A young woman who was standing nearby joined in with the original antagonist to some extent but in the midst of it another young woman pushed her way in to the mayhem and extended her hand in an act of support! 

Good woman.

The police ordered the woman to leave which she did eventually. I decided there was little point in pressing charges and didn't do so. I then went back to my position, somewhat shaken but unhurt. It has been quite a few days here. 

At this point it is needed to be said that attacks in the street like that is 'Common Assault'. It is a criminal offence. Individual victims are not required to press charges. The Police ARE. Why did that woman, again whose name we shall never know, not get arrested.?

Was it because she was a woman ?

Friday March 7
In view of the considerable negative reaction yesterday, and especially the crazy assault from the woman, I made a new placard which read,  

Who cares about free speech?  

I held that up alongside the baby photo in the same location I was at yesterday. 

Well, the woman didn't come back but I still did get a lot of criticism from passing motorists and pedestrians, even with that sign! (or maybe because of it) There were some friendly faces too though which was good. 

Clearly the Cultural Marxist mind-set, spread by the socialists and feminists and greens has taken firm control of many people. They do not care about free speech.

When the mob comes for them they will.

Anyway at 9.30, I, along with a solicitor who generously provided assistance at short notice, and a great local pro-lifer, Kathy, went along to the Magistrates Court. The prosecutor suggested that the case may take 1 1/2 to 2 hours but my solicitor said it would go longer as Constitutional questions would be raised. So it has been set down for a further mention on May 7.  

I just hope I don't have to come back to Tasmania just for that! 

This could become a very significant case regarding free speech near the abortion clinics and more widely. I'm very grateful therefore to have had some barristers indicating that they recognise its importance and are offering to be involved. I'm free but I plan to remain in Tasmania until next weekend and continue the street protests until the election on March 15. 

Thank-you to every for remembering us in your prayers and please continue to do so this week and into the future as this case has potentially much riding on it and has a long way to go.

Salute Graham.

A Hero.