Joint Letter to Victorian Premier regarding proposed anti-protest laws

Dear Premier Allan, 

The ability for Victorians to freely assemble and participate in rallies, protests and community gatherings is a crucial democratic right. That right must not be restricted. The capacity of the community to engage in protest is foundational to a healthy democracy. 

In December, the Victorian Government announced plans to introduce a raft of changes following a series of violent and racist acts inflicted on Jewish and Muslim communities in Victoria, notably the destruction of the Adass Synagogue. These include bans on protests near places of worship, bans on masks at protests, bans on carrying rope or glue during protests, and bans on displaying symbols of listed terrorist organisations, as well as making multicultural organisations sign a social cohesion pledge to access government funding, potentially restricting their communication and advocacy.

Violence and racist attacks are not protests. They are crimes. We are a diverse coalition of 22 groups across civil society, faith groups, legal specialists, First Nations and disability rights groups and migrant communities who agree on the need to address racism and violence through principled anti-racist approaches and approaches which address the root cause of violence. 

We are concerned, however, by the ongoing attempts to link peaceful protests with racist criminal acts. There is no credible correlation between recent criminal acts and the exercise of the right to protest. Restricting the right to protest would not have prevented the abhorrent crimes seen in recent months. 

The under-signed express deep concern with the proposed reforms and how they interact with the Victorian Charter of Human Rights, and the impacts the reforms would have on safety, privacy and the capacity for political participation, particularly for people with disabilities, religious communities, and multicultural communities. 

We urge your Government to take meaningful action to address violence targeted at vulnerable communities. Undue restriction of the right to free and peaceful assembly will not fix this problem. The right to protest must not be further restricted in Victoria. Instead, we must commit to building a harmonious, peaceful Victoria without undermining democratic rights and freedoms which enable people to participate in public affairs. 

Sincerely,