Pro-Palestine activists set to use ‘complicated defence’ after Bayswater factory protest

Eight pro-Palestine activists who made themselves at home on the roof of a Bayswater factory plan have told a Ringwood court they plan to fight the charges.

The protesters appeared before a Ringwood court on Thursday. Photo: supplied

Pro-Palestine protesters who made themselves at home on the roof of a Melbourne factory say they will defend themselves against criminal charges by arguing the international conflict is an “extraordinary emergency”.

The group of eight was arrested on February 19 after they climbed the roof of the Rosebank Engineering’s aircraft component manufacturing facility in Bayswater, allegedly trespassing and criminally damaging the property.

Gaye Demanuela, Bede McCartney-Kemp, Emily Wood-Trounce, Juliet Lamont, Rebecca Adams, Coco Aboukater, Lili Lovegrove and Katherine Moore all appeared before the Ringwood Magistrate Court on Thursday via video link.

Ms Lovegrove, of Brunswick West, and Ms Adams were allegedly on bail at the time of the protest.

Ms Gaye, of Carlton, is also charged with setting off a flare.

Pro-Palestine protesters on the roof. Picture: Supplied.

The court heard Ms Moore, Ms Adams, Ms Lamont and Ms Demanuela were planning to rely on the “sudden extraordinary emergency” defence, citing distress due to the company allegedly manufacturing fighter jet parts used by the Israel defence force in Gaza.

Magistrate Andrew Sim said this defence could venture in areas humanitarian law and could get “pretty complicated”.

He also paused the proceedings to find out how the protesters planned to prove weapon parts used by the Israel defence force were manufactured in the Bayswater factory.

“This is a court of law, not a court of public opinion – how would that evidence be adduced on behalf of your clients?” he said.

All eight protesters are planning to contest their charges.

They will next appear before Ringwood Magistrates Court on October 2 for a contest mention.