‘Excessive police crackdown’: Controversial councillor arrested

A controversial Greens councillor has been arrested at a protest in inner Brisbane, the second time he has been detained under “similar circumstances”.

A controversial Brisbane Greens councillor claims he was wrongly arrested while participating in a peaceful protest in the inner city on Tuesday morning.

Jonathan Sriranganathan posted on social media he had been protesting outside the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition – which he termed the “killing machines expo” – at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane when he was arrested.

But Queensland police said in a statement it was alleged Cr Sriranganathan had entered a restricted area behind a security cordon on Merivale and Glenelg streets without accreditation, and attempted to place himself in the path of members of the public attending the venue.

“The 34-year-old man was asked to leave on multiple occasions and allegedly refused to comply,” police said.

“He was subsequently taken into custody in relation to trespassing.

“During his arrest, it is alleged he resisted police.”

.@QldPolice HANDCUFFED City Councillor Jonathan Sriranganathan while arresting him for doing his job, monitoring a peaceful #DisruptLandForces protest in his electorate. Council is legally responsible for the public footpaths Police unilaterally declared are off limits. #qldpolpic.twitter.com/264pwbFavm

— Ben Pennings (@BenPennings) October 4, 2022

Cr Sriranganathan said on social media this was the second time he had been arrested and under similar circumstances.

“Today, I was standing on public land, on a publicly accessible footpath outside the convention centre, participating in an authorised peaceful assembly (a notice of intention had been lodged in accordance with the Peaceful Assembly Act),” he wrote.

“A convention centre employee came out to the footpath and told me I was trespassing.

“I asked to see evidence that the footpath I was on wasn’t public/government land but he wasn’t interested in respectful conversation – he just ordered me to move.

“He then asked police officers to take action, and they arrested me for trespassing.

“The excessive police crackdown against peaceful protest is obviously really concerning, and it’s annoying that I now have strict bail conditions imposed on me which prevent me participating in further protests at Land Forces.”

Cr Sriranganathan was charged with one count of trespass and obstruct police.

He was granted bail to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 19.

As he walked free from the Brisbane Watch House on Tuesday Cr Sri turned the tables on a television news reporter.

Nine News reporter Natarjsha Kramer was attempting to ask Cr Sri questions about his arrest when the councillor pulled out his own camera and began to record her.

In a video later uploaded to social media, Cr Sri said he “declined to speak to one particular 9 News reporter based on my recent past experience of her misrepresenting facts and omitting relevant details”.

“Unfortunately there are a few journos out there who are serial spin doctors with no interest in fair or balanced reporting, and who deliberately sensationalise and misrepresent stories, taking quotes out of context and perpetuating misleading narratives.”

“In the past, this particular reporter has been very inaccurate in terms of how she’s covered issues I’ve talked about.”

Ms Kramer defended her reporting during the network’s primetime 6pm bulletin, claiming Cr Sri was referring to a report covering a video he uploaded to social media in August that appeared to encourage people to squat in empty homes and even highlighted streets and suburbs likely to have unoccupied dwellings.

“Since that video was posted… I have received numerous messages including ones asking if I’m okay, but what I will say is we are considering all legal options,” Ms Kramer told 9 News presenters Andrew Lofthouse and Melissa Downes at the conclusion of her report.

“Our job as journalists is to ask questions, to inform Queenslanders and we are going to continue doing that, regardless of whether some of our elected representatives might find those questions uncomfortable or a bit difficult to answer.”

“That is our job, and that is what we owe Queenslanders.”