Anti-mask protesters scolded for disrupting Gympie court

Peaceful protesters who quoted the Privacy Act and refused to wear masks inside the Gympie court on Monday were given short shrift by an unamused magistrate.

A group of protesters who refused to wear masks when they faced charges in a Gympie court on Monday were given short shrift by magistrate Chris Callaghan.

The group has carried out a series of peaceful protests in front of the court since some of its members were charged following a run-in with police at the site of the so-called Gympie Pyramid (Djaki Kundu), which still sits somewhat in the path of the $1 billion Gympie Bypass.

Of the large group gathered at the court on Monday, seven were set down to appear on charges or trespassing or failing to obey police.

Diane Redden-King (Djaki Widjung) attended court without a mask. She was asked to put one on by magistrate Chris Callaghan but refused, telling Mr Callaghan she had an exemption, but couldn’t provide one as her doctor wouldn’t officially write one for her.

“You must wear a mask unless you have a valid medical exemption, which you don’t have,” Mr Callaghan said.

Redden-King then requested the opinion of the Attorney-General and accused the court of not following the Queensland Health regulations.

“The Attorney-General has no jurisdiction over this court, courts are independent from government,” Mr Callaghan said.

Protester Gary Tomlinson (Wit-Boooka) also refused to wear a mask.

He told the court he didn’t need a letter from his doctor under a Privacy Act and accused the magistrate of discrimination.

“The Privacy Act... you’re on the wrong track taking that route,” Mr Callaghan said.

A third protester, Zachariah Monaghan walked in without a mask, and when he was asked to put one on he told the court he had an exemption.

“No you don’t. I haven’t seen it,” Mr Callaghan said.

He told the protesters unless they had a valid exemption, they would be required to wear a mask upon their next court attendance.

Monaghan and Tomlinson were both charged with trespassing and Redden-King has been charged with one count of contravening a direction.

The three didn’t wish to enter pleas and were adjourned to March 13, 2022.