On Monday, 21 November 2016, Dan Rogers appeared pro bono for a group of three protestors that were charged with unlawfully doing an unregulated high risk activity and obstruct police. The ‘high risk activity’ was sitting on top of an awning at Immigration Minister Peter Dutton’s office.
The three protestors were each charged with the offending after staging a protest against Mr Dutton’s proposals to permanently ban refugees who travel to Australia by sea. All three plead guilty to the charge and received a $100 fine with no conviction being recorded.
In a democratic society, the right to protest is just as important as the right to vote. Public protests are a way for the general population to express their disagreement with the actions of the executive or the parliament. In most cases, Australian protests are very safe and peaceful. There are, however, a number of laws which attempt to limit protests. In pleading guilty, the clients acknowledged that they broke the law. However, their actions were motivated by the human rights abuses concerning Australia’s immigration policy.
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