Defying the Law: Brave Organiser Vows to March On Despite NSW’s Draconian Protest Ban
- Paul Silva is risking arrest by pushing ahead with a rally against Indigenous deaths in custody, despite NSW’s new protest laws rendering it unauthorised.
- The event, scheduled for January 18, will commemorate the 10th anniversary of his uncle David Dungay Jr’s tragic death in police custody.
- NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has extended the state’s protest restrictions for another 14 days, citing the need to keep the community safe after the Bondi Beach attack.
- But Mr Silva has slammed the new laws as “inhumane” and vowed to march through the streets of Sydney, despite the threat of police intervention.
Paul Silva is undaunted by the prospect of arrest as he prepares to lead a rally against Indigenous deaths in custody in Sydney on January 18. The event, which marks the 10th anniversary of his uncle David Dungay Jr’s tragic death in police custody, has been rendered unauthorised by the NSW government’s new protest laws.
In a bold move, Mr Silva has vowed to defy the ban and march through the streets of Sydney, despite the threat of police intervention. “We do intend to march through the streets of Sydney, and we will do it appropriately on the day because we believe these laws are inhumane,” he said.
The NSW police commissioner, Mal Lanyon, has extended the state’s protest restrictions for another 14 days, citing the need to keep the community safe after the Bondi Beach attack. But Mr Silva argues that it’s not appropriate for police to be making the decision to restrict a protest directly critical of the force itself.
Health Minister Ryan Park has backed the decision to extend the restrictions, saying the state government has a responsibility to keep the community safe. But the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO, Michele Goldman, has also weighed in, saying that temporarily postponing protest activity is a “matter of common decency” in the wake of the deadliest terror attack on Australian soil.
However, not everyone agrees with the decision. The New South Wales Council of Civil Liberties President, Timothy Roberts, has criticised the move, saying it has a “chilling effect” on the community. “The people of New South Wales deserve a government that is genuinely interested in combating racism, not merely repressing the expression of opinions they do not agree with,” he said.
The Palestine Action Group has also slammed the government and police, saying they have misrepresented their events. “Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon’s threadbare justification for extending the ban reveals how baseless these laws are,” the group said in a statement.
As the January 18 rally approaches, tensions are running high. But Mr Silva remains resolute, determined to honour his uncle’s memory and bring attention to the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody. “We will not be silenced,” he said. “We will not be deterred.”