The full report is at: www.peacebus.com
(for those who don't know) The Freedom Ride was launched by the London
Peace Flame in Toronto Canada on the same day the Olympic torch was lit in
Olympia, the Ride will end in Sydney before the Oympics.
A colourful convoy of buses, vans and caravans departed Nimbin NSW,
Australia on Friday 30 June to bring witness to the suffering and
injustice created by drug prohibition policies.
The Freedom Ride's aim is to go to the gates of NSW jails and, in
collaboration with prisoners inside and their families outside, very
publicly count the prisoners of the War on Drugs.
Freedom Ride Journal Entry 23 July 2000
At 11.50 am with its flags flying and its speakers firing, the Freedom
Ride rolled along the main drag of Tamworth home of country music,
centre for country conservatism and citadel of "try harder" drug
prohibition advocacy. "Citizens of Tamworth, this is the Freedom Ride.
We have come to speak for justice. We have come to end the drug war and
release its prisoners."
As we approached Peel Street, Jab was on the roof watching for cables
and shouting advice while inside "Happy Wheels", St John and I were
singing: "Hi ho, Hi ho, it=92s off to work we go!" Another action and
another day of being fully alive.
We backed into the circular court in front of the Council building and
were parked central by 11.55 pm. Council officers instantly challenged
us. "Sir, you may not park here and I am asking you to leave." "What
will you do it about?" I asked. "Call the police."
"Go for it!" I said because the Freedom Riders certainly were.
I leapt onto the roof, passed down our banner rig and to Jab, Dave and
John, who flew into the set up with fast teamwork. In front we set the
1.2 x 2 metre cardboard jail, an impressive recreation of the Tamworth
jail gate built in 1875. It bore a big crown and the slogan: "The Law is
the Crime!" About the boundary we set the four "hand sign" banners ?
power, prayer, peace and perfection.
The butterfly was complete, the PA fired up and I was ready to speak
within 5 minutes. The civic clock chimed noon ("high noon in Tamworth"
had been our media hook) as Jab tied up the last banner.
Our cardboard jail was on the brick pavement; I was on the roof of
"Happy Wheels"(Peacebus.com had been knocked out of this action by the
Moonbi police raid and was in dock for repairs); our banner "Freedom
Ride/Peacebus.com" was above; and behind it all was the towering glass
and concrete, corporate/fascist architecture of the Council. Absolutely
splendid vision!
We are such a slick show. I salute Tony Spanos, passionate Sydney urban
activist and the street Mayor of South Sydney, for teaching us the arts
of free speech occupations of public place.
All the regional media was represented there - two TV camera crews
(prime and NBN) and the Northern Daily Leader had sent a photographer.
We had promised to burn a jail in Tamworth that day and challenge the
"try harder" prohibitionism and the anti harm minimisation advocacy of
the Acting Mayor, Cr Warren Woodley.
Mayor Woodley came down personally to tell me I had to go. We were on
first name basis now. "Graeme," he said. "You cannot be here. You did
not apply in writing." "I asked you personally to grant me the right to
free speech and you refused. Now I take that freedom," I said. "Jump up
on the roof and share it with me." He demurred.
A call from Duty Officer Pat Barley earlier in the morning had assured
me that we were to have the space to spruik without contention. "We are
a laid back, friendly people in Tamworth", she had said. I thought she
was being optimistic but was too busy building a cardboard jail to spend
more time on the phone. The police officers that answered the Council
call certainly had other ideas.
In front of the assembled media, Detective Inspector Dick Lechford
arrived with six officers and demanded we move on. Truth is that the
Duty Officer and I had not walked the ground and negotiated the detail
of the action. And I had taken some latitude driving "Happy Wheels" all
rigged with banners and speakers into the courtyard. In this business of
public advocacy surprises create bad feeling.
As I began to speak, Dick Lechford reached into "Happy Wheels" and
pulled the plug on our PA. (Sorry, Tony, Lesson 2 in the Manual for Free
Speech Occupation of Public Space, to wit always lock the vehicles and
refuse to answer questions about them, had been neglected.)
etc...
To get the full report: www.peacebus.com
Graeme Dunstan
23 July 2000
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