Protesters who are peacefully assembled at the Treasury Gardens as ‘Occupy Melbourne’ are currently resisting harassment by officers from the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police.
They were served with a compliance notice early this morning demanding that they: “take down and remove … all items, goods and equipment or other property or thing that you are responsible for” by 10.30am. It is now feared that Melbourne Mayor Robert Doyle may send in the riot police against the protesters. Many of those in the park are still recovering from the trauma of being assaulted by armed police during Doyle’s eviction of Occupy Melbourne from the City Square on 22 October. Protesters however, are continuing to resist with many still carrying signs, water bottles, umbrellas and other ‘things’ which may put them in breach of the Melbourne City Council’s latest notice. It is unclear what action the police and compliance officers are taking at the moment.
Protesters have asked people to get to the Treasury Gardens as soon as possible to help them resist this arbitrary abuse of state power.
The Occupy Melbourne legal working group is currently investigating whether or not the notice has any legal standing. Because of the broad range of the notice - ie not to have 'things' - it is believed to have no basis in law.
The notice can be found at http://twitpic.com/7akjjv/full
A more detailed report will be posted later.
