Release: Off the rails extremists should atone for dangerous behavior

Release: Off the rails extremists should atone for dangerous behavior

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance, the nation’s largest grassroots advocacy group representing Australia’s taxpayers, today applauded the Queensland Government on the passage of dangerous attachment device laws which crack down on protest strategies that risk injury to the protestors themselves, workers, bystanders, and emergency service workers. 

“While we support an individual's right to protest peacefully, when protestors intentionally use risky tactics to harm people and property they should face the full force of the law,” says ATA Communications Manager, Emilie Dye. “These bills don’t obstruct the rights of activists; they protect the rights of Queenslanders. Extremists should not be allowed to stop lawful work by using dangerous tactics.”

“Environmental extremists have gone off the rails with their protest strategies. Protestors are using tripwires, drums reinforced with concrete, and devices embedded with metal or glass in order to stop Adani rail construction. This both endangers everyone involved and impedes hard working Australians from lawfully doing their jobs.

“Queenslanders have finally had enough. Even if the extinction rebellion extremists were correct, their means of pushing their ideas have become sinister.

“A mandatory prison sentence should make protestors should think twice before stopping traffic, gluing themselves to roads, destroying equipment, endangering emergency personnel, and attacking workers. Bad behavior, however passionate, should be met with appropriate repercussions.”