Extinction Rebellion Grey Power ‘locked out’ of City Hall in protest over ‘ban on free speech’

A group of Extinction Rebellion senior citizens demanding Council lift a ban on them meeting in public libraries say City Hall locked them out this morning during a silent protest.

A GROUP of senior citizens who staged a silent sit-in this morning at City Hall protesting a “ban on free speech” say they were shown the door.

The Extinction Rebellion Grey Power army attended City Hall to call on the council to rescind the ban on the climate change group meeting in public libraries and other council premises saying it was a “ban on free speech”.

But Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has stood firm saying he will not “tolerate the disruptive activities of Extinction Rebellion” and will not lift the ban.

Extinction Rebellion Grey Power spokeswoman Miree Le Roy said the group, of 50-70 protesters, were locked out of City Hall soon after they arrived and prevented access by a security guard.

“They shut the doors on us which I think was a bit over the top,” Ms Le Roy said.

“We were clearly no threat and it was a peaceful protest.”

The LNP Brisbane City Council Administration and Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner banned Extinction Rebellion meetings in public libraries last month. Picture: AAPClaudia Baxter

Ms Le Roy said it was very clear the individuals protesting the conduct of the current administration were not “anarchists”.

“This council is trying to put out the message that we are violent and that these meetings are inciting violence and it just isn’t true,” she said.

“The Extinction Rebellion edict is nonviolence, the whole concept is about nonviolent direct action to wake everybody up because we are sleepwalking into this nightmare,” she said.

The group, which staged the sit-in at King George Square this morning, has formally complained to the Queensland Human Rights Commision with a conciliation set for December 20.

Cr Schrinner said during the “unauthorised protest” the doors were closed after the “protesters obstructed them”.

“It infuriates me and it infuriates the people of Brisbane that the rights of a group that incites violence and illegal behaviour seem to be more important than the rights of people wanting to move around Brisbane, get to appointments, get to work and drop their kids to school, Cr Schrinner said.

“They were using council facilities, we had to put a stop to it and I think we have the support of Brisbane residents.

“No group that incites violence and lawlessness should be using Council facilities, whether it be libraries or halls.”

He said there was a “great irony that Extinction Rebellion is using the law to enforce their right to break the law.”

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Extinction Rebellion Grey Power organiser Miree Le Roy. Photo. Facebook

Councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba) said it “wouldn’t be the first time council has closed its doors on residents raising concerns about council decisions”.

“I think it is emblematic of the dismissive attitude of the LNP to the people who express dissent and I think it extremely concerning that our basic freedoms and the right to political assembly are being watered down by a local Council,” he said.

“When I talk to councillors from other parts of Australia they can’t believe that Brisbane is trying to stop people meeting in libraries to talk about climate change.”

“Other councils are declaring a climate emergency and are actively supporting community groups whereas the LNP is doing the opposite.”

Ms Le Roy said the bushfires and air quality crisis was far more disruptive than a few people stopping a few cars in a nonviolent, direct action.

“Cr Schrinner is trying to say Extinction Rebellion is using the meetings to organise illegal activities and that’s not true and he is trying to make people think protesting is illegal and it is not,” she said.

“We choose the libraries because they are good facilities and they are affordable. It comes down to the fact that just because we think climate change is real and they don’t does not mean they can exclude us.”

“It is total discrimination against a political belief.”

She said there is “absolutely no evidence of violence” committed by Extinction Rebellion.

Extinction Rebellion Grey Power protesters were locked out of City Hall this morning. Photo: supplied.

Ms Le Roy said “the LNP took away our freedom to meet in the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era”.

“We mustn’t allow them to do it again,” she said.

“You can’t call them public libraries if you restrict access to people you don’t like.”

She said the Lord Mayor had no right to discriminate against the group.

“The Australian Library and Information Association, bookstores and individual librarians have supported our stand,” she said.

“Indeed, the Lord Mayor’s ban has proven a useful recruiting tool for Extinction Rebellion, with people joining us over the issue.”

“With unprecedented bushfires threatening lives, the LNP should listen to citizens about climate change rather than exclude voices they are uncomfortable with.”