Anti-Boeing activists Margaret Pestorius, David Sprigg face Brisbane Magistrates Court trial

Protesters charged with trespassing in the Brisbane offices of aircraft manufacturer Boeing got into tense arguments with a magistrate during the first day of a trial.

Supporters of Margie Pistorius and Dave Sprigg at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Protesters charged with trespassing in the Brisbane offices of aircraft manufacturer Boeing got into tense arguments with a magistrate, including references to legal drama television shows, during the first day of their trial.

Defendants Margie Pistorius and Dave Sprigg outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard.

Margaret Cecilia Pestorius pleaded not guilty to one count each of common assault and entering premises with intent in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Co-accused David Anthony Sprigg is charged with one count each of entering premises with intent and wilful damage, but when asked by Magistrate Lisa O’Neill to enter a plea at the start of the hearing, Mr Sprigg refused, resulting in the magistrate entering not guilty pleas on his behalf.

Police prosecutor Harry Coburn said Mr Sprigg and Ms Pestorius were part of a group of around a dozen protesters who attended the Boeing Defence Australia offices on Charlotte Street in Brisbane City on January 17.

The activists were protesting what they claim is Boeing’s involvement in supplying weapons to Israel for use in the Palestinian conflict.

While inside the Boeing office, they made accusations that Boeing is a “taxpayer funded” “weapons company” and “arms exporter”. They also chanted “free free Palestine”.

Supporters of Margie Pistorius and Dave Sprigg outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Mr Coburn told the court the complainant in the assault charge against Ms Pestorius was a Boeing employee who was tricked into opening the security door and the “low-level assault” was Ms Pestorius allegedly pushing against the door to keep it open for the protesters.

Mr Coburn said the group “set up a camp of sorts” in the reception area and began their “mostly peaceful protest” in the lobby, also using glue to stick posters related to the ongoing conflict in Palestine to a glass display cabinet causing some damage.

Police arrived around 10 minutes later and the protesters left the building peacefully.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Mr Sprigg and Ms Pestorius legally represented themselves, which led to some interesting exchanges between Ms Pestorius and Magistrate Lisa O’Neill.

When the Boeing employee – staff analyst and fill-in receptionist Stacey Murrin, who was the alleged victim of the assault – was giving evidence, Ms Pestorius objected to a question by Mr Coburn using her courtroom knowledge from TV shows.

“I’d just like to suggest that again the prosecutor is putting words in the witness’s mouth, I’ve watched a lot of TV, and in TV you don’t lead the witness,” Ms Pestorius said.

“Ms Pestorius, look, TV is for entertaining, but it is not a court,” the magistrate replied.

Ms Murrin testified that while she was tricked by one of the protesters – who claimed her dad worked for Boeing and she was there to see him – into opening the secure door, she never felt threatened by them.

“I knew they would not attack me, they had been peaceful in the past, and they were protesting for peace, so it would be a bit ironic if they attacked someone,” she said.

Boeing employee Stacey Murrin leaves the Brisbane Magistrates Court after giving evidence on Tuesday. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Regarding the alleged assault, Ms Pestorius said she did not intentionally assault Ms Murrin when they were both pushing the security door.

“My case is that it was potentially an accident as I moved into the space, not that I didn’t touch them, I don’t know if I did or didn’t, but it was a moment,” Ms Pestorius told the court.

There was a further tense exchange between the magistrate and Ms Pestorius later on, when one of the police officers who responded to the protest that day was on the stand.

“I’m sorry, I have a defence I’m building over time, and part of it is how nonviolence and protest gets used and policed, and the move-on order is a very important part of it,” Ms Pestorius said to Magistrate Lisa O’Neill during her cross-examination of the officer.

“I’m just saying, it is going to be hard for me to have a series of questions if I’m going to be interrupted all the time.”

Magistrate Lisa O’Neill: “Ms Pestorius you’re wasting your time arguing with me when you could be asking the witness a question.”

Ms Pestorius: “I’m wasting everybody’s time, I’m not wasting my time. These are the stories I want told in the court, about how these people decide …”

Magistrate Lisa O’Neill interjected: “Just ask your question.”

Numerous times during the hearing, Ms Pestorius turned to supporters in the public gallery and laughed, smiled or gestured, which earned her a warning from the magistrate.

She was also cautioned for “rudely” pointing her finger at the police prosecutor and arguing with him about a submission he had made to the court.

The hearing continues on Wednesday.