Councillor Jonathan Sri claims human rights abused in arrest

Brisbane City councillor Jonathan Sri says he will challenge his arrest at a protest on the weekend, claiming he was “singled out” by an aggressive officer as he was trying to leave. He also slammed what he called were “onerous” bail conditions he must adhere to.

GREENS councillor Jonathan Sri says he will challenge his arrest at a protest to stop asylum seekers being relocated from an inner Brisbane hotel on human rights grounds.

The Brisbane City Councillor claims he was the only person arrested late on Saturday night and charged with contravening a direction of a police officer.

Councillor charged after Brisbane protest

Kangaroo Point refugee tells protesters police are stopping him from seeing his family

He says “onerous” bail conditions prevent him being within 200 metres of the Kangaroo Point hotel where dozens of asylum seekers have been holed-up – some for years – until his matter is heard in court on August 27.

Jonathan Sri will fight the charge. Picture: Jono Searle/Getty Images

The law graduate claims police are deliberately trying to suppress peaceful protests, which is an attack on their fundamental rights and possibly a violation of human rights.

“I was given a move-on order to leave the road, which I complied with,” Cr Sri said on Tuesday.

It was when he returned, “with the knowledge of the police” to pack up his vehicle and collect a PA system that he was arrested, he said.

“A very aggressive police officer singled me out … and arrested me for failing to comply with the police move-on direction,” he said.

Cr Jonathan Sri at the refugee protest on Saturday. Picture: Richard Walker

“Out of the hundreds of people who attended that rally on Saturday afternoon, I was the only person who was arrested and charged.

“I intend to challenge the charge in court on human rights grounds.”

Cr Sri said he will continue to support the protests to allow asylum seekers to leave the hotel for exercise, to stop transferring them to high-security facilities and to ultimately allow them to be released into the community.

Cr Jonathan Sri says he was singled out while packing up his PA system. Picture: Richard Walker

Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said there were about 100 men detained at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel & Apartments and those determined to be refugees could resettle outside of Australia.

“They decide for themselves if they want to fully settle in PNG, in Nauru,” Mr Tudge said.

“If they haven’t got a refugee determination status then return to their home country or indeed to return to the United States if that option is available to them.”

Protesters are intending to gather again outside the hotel on Sunday.