Three anti-war protesters sue Defence Force over alleged assault during protest

SAM, Greg and David claim they were trying to stage a peaceful protest when they copped a “traumatic” response.

Protestors from the Swan Island Peace Convergence group march through the streets of Queenscliff yesterday, Sunday, September 28th. Picture: Nathan Dyer

THREE anti-war activists have launched legal action against the Australian Defence Force claiming they were “hooded, stripped naked and dragged along the ground” during a protest in Victoria last year.

Sam Quinlan, Greg Rolles and David Sprigg were among eight people from the Swan Island Peace Convergence who swam to the Swan Island military base to stage a peaceful protest against Australia’s involvement in foreign wars.

The protest is a regular event staged by the peace group.

Swan Island, which is about 90 minutes from Melbourne, is understood to be used by the Australian Secret Intelligence Agency (ASIS) for training the country’s spy network.

It is not open to the public without ADF or ASIS approval.

The three men claim that after they arrived on the island on October 2, 2014, they were confronted by a number of “plainclothes” officers and assaulted.

“I was hooded, stripped naked and dragged along the ground and the guy tried to chokehold me,” Mr Rolles told news.com.au. “He even threatened to shove a stick up my a*** if I didn’t tell him how many people were on the island.

“I was threatened with anal rape.”

Greg Rolles claims he was ‘hooded, stripped naked and dragged along the ground’ by ADF personnel as he protested on Swan Island last year. Picture: Nathan Dyer

Mr Rolles believes they were held for about 20 minutes, and were then left handcuffed naked for a further 20 minutes before being able to pull his “pants up”.

“The whole thing was traumatic,” he said.

Mr Rolles said the trio launched legal action to uncover the names of the men who allegedly carried out the assault.

He claimed the ADF had refused repeated requests for the information.

The trio have engaged law firm Maurice Blackburn, which lodged proceedings in the Victorian Supreme Court today.

Their lawyer, Jacob Varghese, who is acting for them pro bono, said once the names of the individuals involved were provided, the protesters intended to sue the officers for assault and battery.

“These men are peaceful protesters who were prepared to accept the lawful consequences

of their actions, but they did not deserve this violent assault on their dignity,” Mr Varghese

said in a statement. “The protesters experienced brutal, degrading and humiliating treatment at the hands of Defence Force personnel. This kind of behaviour cannot go unanswered.”

Mr Rolles, Mr Quinlan, and Mr Sprigg were subsequently charged with trespass and pleaded guilty to the offence earlier this year.

Mr Rolles said one of the reasons for the legal action was to make sure the officers who allegedly carried out the assault were held accountable.

“I am concerned that if they are willing to do that to Australians on Australian soil, what are these special forces people up to in other parts of the world?” he said. “How many people have been tortured and detained that we haven’t heard about.”

And while he said he was left slightly traumatised by the alleged assault, he says it has not deterred him from continuing to protest.

“It’s one thing to read about how people suffer in conflicts around the world it’s another thing to just get a tiny taste of just how brutal it is,” he said. “This has made me want to sustain my anti-war activism for as long as possible. I guess it’s made me more passionate about it.

“It hasn’t deterred me at all.”

In October last year, the ADF launched an inquiry into the alleged assaults and vowed the allegations would be taken seriously and investigated.

A Department of Defence spokesman told news.com.au following the inquiry the relevant soldiers involved in the incident had been “counselled” over the “manner and measure of their response”.

“While the Department of Defence respects the democratic right of all Australians to express their views in a peaceful and law-abiding way, ADF members have the power under relevant legislation to arrest individuals who enter Defence premises without authorisation. At the time of the incident, the protesters were trespassing on the Swan Island Training facility,” the spokesman said. “Soldiers involved in the incident were counselled on the manner and measure of their response to the incident,” the statement said. “Defence recently received a request to disclose the identities of the ADF members involved in the incident. Defence has declined to name the members.

“Defence has not received any civil legal proceedings arising from this incident.”