Brisbane City Council takes Jonathan Sri to court over peak hour protest

Controversial Greens councillor Jonathan Sri was planning another peak-hour protest march this week — but Brisbane City Council has taken “unprecedented” action to stop him.

A COUNCILLOR has accused Brisbane City Council of a Bjelke-Petersen-era tactic for taking legal action against him to shut down his peak-hour protest march.

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba) had plans to march down Edward St to Parliament House on Wednesday at 8am, but council will take him to court over his plans.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said he was standing up for the rights of Brisbane residents against Cr Sri’s “extreme” tactics, and council would take him to Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

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Cr Sri, who often holds protests and copped flak recently for using his office to help Extinction Rebellion activists, said the move was “unprecedented”.

“This totalitarian government response really proves the whole point we’ve been making,” he said.

“We’re literally holding a protest defending the right to protest and council is trying to shut us down.”

Cr Sri said he had followed all correct processes under the Peaceful Assembly Act.

He put in a Notice of Intent to Hold a Public Assembly on August 20, and said the council had “ample” time to plan ahead for traffic and notify the public.

He said he had offered to keep bus lanes clear and, later, to divert the protest down the Queen Street Mall so it would not block traffic and added it would only go for about 25 minutes.

Cr Sri said protesters should not have to organise the action but “governments at all levels are stripping away our basic civil rights from under our noses.”

Cr Sri also led this blockade at the corner of Montague Road and Victoria Street, West End, to highlighting the need for traffic lights at the intersection. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“They’re saying we’re causing traffic inconvenience,” he said.

“That’s exactly what Bjelke-Petersen used to say. They would use the excuse of traffic inconvenience to prevent peaceful protest.”

Lord Mayor Schrinner said Cr Sri had proposed a protest that “would shut down the city’s roads and public transport infrastructure during Wednesday morning’s peak hour”.

“I refuse to let Brisbane residents fall victim to Cr Sri’s extreme tactics to disrupt the daily lives of Brisbane residents.

“People have the right to protest, but not at the expense of the travelling public.”

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri leads Kangaroo Point residents protesting against the destruction of heritage buildings and increased density in the area. Photographer: Liam Kidston

He said the council entered into mediation with Cr Sri on Monday to find an outcome that would allow a protest but not impact on “the travelling community and emergency services while also severely impacting on the local economy”.

“Council proposed an alternative route or a later time that would not shut down the city during morning peak hour, but Cr Sri rejected both of these proposals,” he said.

The protest was in response to the Palaszczuk Government announcing new laws threatening anyon e found using “dangerous” devices in a protest with being thrown into jail for two years.

Under the laws, police would also have the power to search anyone and their cars that they suspect of possessing a device.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and deputy mayor Krista Adams condemned the Extinction Rebellion protesters tactics at a press conference on August 6. Picture: AAP/Dan Peled