Subject: Police minister threat to websites.
Press Release from Micheal Costa, NSW Minister for Police concerning "WTO protest websites". The minister has reportedly contacted Richard Alston, the Communications Minister, and Chris Allison, the Justice Minister, asking the websites be "shut down" or "restrict access to them." MEDIA RELEASE Statement by Micheal Costa on WTO Protest Websites 24 September 2002 I am deeply concerned about websites providing information designed to aid the violent distruption of the forthcoming World Trade Organisation meeting in Sydney in November. I support the community's right to peaceful, lawful protest. But it's clear to me comments and information on these sites are designed to incite violence against NSW police, who will be providing security for the meeting. These people have gone too far. They are telling protestors to arm themselves with baseball bats, sling shots, firecrackers, gas masks and marbles. They intend to harm police and police horses and put community saftey at risk. That's why I have written to the federal government today asking them to shut down these websites or restrict access to them. And that's why I will take the matter to the next meeting of the Australasian Police Ministers Council. ---------------------- Though the statement does not explicitly mention indymedia, through conversations with journalists we have discovered that the melbourne and sydney indymedia's are included in the unmaned 3 offending websites. Melbourne Indymedia is currently formulating a response. http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=34204&group=webcast
