Greens councillor Jonathan Sri slammed as ‘reckless’ over protest plans

Controversial Brisbane councillor Jonathan Sri has copped a broadside from the city’s Lord Mayor over plans for a large protest in one suburb.

CONTROVERSIAL Greens councillor Jonathan Sri has been slammed by Brisbane’s Lord Mayor as “irresponsible” over scuppered plans to gather up to 100 people for a protest in his inner-Brisbane ward.

Cr Sri applied for permission to close Walmsley St, Kangaroo Point to traffic on Friday afternoon in order to protest the “indefinite detention” of asylum seekers at a local hotel, before withdrawing the application.

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A maximum of 100 people would've been able to attend the protest, according to the application, but Cr Sri yesterday insisted the proposal to close the street was to ensure participants and nearby exercisers could maintain social distancing.

The application has nevertheless been blasted by Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, saying Cr Sri was right to back down and should never have planned it.

Outspoken Greens councillor Jonathan Sri withdrew his application to hold a protest in a Kangaroo Point park. Picture: File.

“Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri’s plan to hold a protest during a pandemic was reckless and irresponsible,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Holding a protest during a pandemic would have been nuts!”

Cr Schrinner said it was the latest example of the Greens councillor’s “radical political agenda.”

“Not long ago he was supporting Extinction Rebellion in blocking off roads and breaking the law, now he’s been caught-out planning a mass gathering during a pandemic,” he said.

Cr Sri however has dismissed the comments, telling The Courier-Mail that the LNP was conducting “a political beat-up.”

“Local residents are already organising small weekly footpath protests outside the Kangaroo Point prison to raise concerns about the hostages’ health and safety,” he said.

Cr Adrian Schrinner has blasted the move to hold a protest as “reckless.” Picture: File.

“I simply lodged a notice suggesting that the police close the road to create more space for exercisers.”

He said over 120 refugees had been held for up to seven years in a hotel along Walmsley St.

“In the future, when the shutdown has ended and it’s safe to do so, I will definitely be organising large public protests calling for these men to be released,” Cr Sri said.

However, court documents seen by The Courier-Mail show Brisbane City Council's legal team strongly pushed for the application to be rejected on public health grounds.

“Council does not support the holding of the proposed assembly in circumstances where it is contrary to the Queensland Health directives and presents as a risk to participants and the general public of the spread of COVID-19,” an affidavit from a council solicitor said.