Webdiary - Founded and Inspired by Margo Kingston

 

I've just got back, seen the Nine footage, heard the cops say what a great job they did.

I have never been so angry in all my life.. it was like being at the Eureka Stockade from the inside.   The pigs (and I use the word with control) forced and coerced a violent situation, and waited till most of the journos had gone to file for the evening.

I'm going to have a stiff whiskey, watch the ABC report, translate my hieroglyphical notes, look at my video, and stop my hands from shaking so I can compose myself to write, I'll see you after tea.

Hey, I stayed calm all day,I think I'm having a bit of a nervous reaction.  Trying to keep tears back as I type this

No matter what they say, this was a horrible act of aggression by police against what was a happy, peaceful group of people.

Allan, hi!

I have on many occasions asked Mary J to provide sources to figures or other empirical evidence in support of statements she has made on this blog, almost invariably to no avail.

By the way, if you all thought The Chaser stunt was funny, it wasn't as hilarious as the anti-APEC protester shown on the Ten Network squirting a pro-American demonstrator with a large bottle of tomato sauce that the anti-APEC guy just happened to be carrying in the pocket of his long overcoat. Size of a milk-carton.

Kinda gave the game away, the sauce doubtless being a prop intended for the TV news cameras later as "blood" in evidence of "police brutality".

Hope he had a chit from the "Stop Bush Collective" make-up department so he could get another bottle.

Also, Richard, did you see the television news report on the complaint by Melbourne anti-APEC demonstrators against police who stopped and searched their busses on the way to Sydney?

As in, busses?

What was it that Bush said? Something like this: "Terrorists hate us for the way we live"?

And Howard said: "They hate us for the way we live"?

Bush also said: "They will not change our way of life".

And Howard said: "They will not change our way of life".

So the PSCC and Howard's Prime Minister's department and the Cabinet organises his re-election campaign called APEC.

An estimated total $330 million in taxpayer's funds with at least $170 million for "security" alone.  But - "they will not change our way of life".

Bush says: "Australia should go nuclear".

And Howard says - of course.

NE OUBLIE.

Alan,  I didn't leave Adelaide, visit Woomera or Baxter or drag the Bakhtiyari kids to anywhere - if you bothered to find out you would know I have condemned the actions of those morons in the strongest possible terms for all of the years since they did it.

As for you claiming them now as poor little kids I don't remember you giving a toss at the time that they had been illegally detained for 4 years before being illegally deported without documents to the wrong country.

What I find incredible is that I got hate mail last week about these kids - they were 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12 when they were locked up in Woomera yet they have been treated worse than mass murderers.

What the hell is that about?     As for the death toll, what on earth makes you think I made it up?

In Australia in the 54 months since we invaded and occupied Iraq there has been 600,000 deaths, not one of them by terrorism, and that is in optimal conditions with clean water and decent food.

Extrapolate that into a war zone with no clean water, no decent food or electricity and thousands of soldiers killing civilians and see what number you come up with.

Alan Curran, you addressed the following to Mary J Shepherd:

 As for Iraq, I will check your figures because a quick Google of your name shows that on numerous occasions people have disputed your figures because they are a figment of your imagination.

Some clarification please - are you saying that the people you found disputing Mary's figures said she was imagining them or is that  your own invention?

Would it not be the proper procedure to check Mary's figures before posting the above accusation?

If you do check the figures, although a regular reader of WD should not need to, and find that such numbers have been quoted, disputed as they might be, then, your apology should be prompt and fulsome. If you dispute the figures then evidence should be provided to support your position.

Obviously we're not talking about the same thing, but I'm having trouble typing.

I've just had a giggle at this:

[BBC extract]

One Sydney brothel is offering an Apec special called The Presidential Platter, which apparently includes a variety of pleasures.

Then there is the United Nations option, which features escorts from a range of countries.

Other possible menu titles spring to mind..:

Crocodile Dundee -Putting a shrimp on the Barbie

Panda's Delight- assistance for the reticent

The Ruddock- funded by spectators watching through a one way window

Little Johnny- Bush on top

The Dubya- Expected to turn up for service, but...

The Hu- discretion assured. A must for Pete Townshend fans.

Kevin Andrews Special- Cowboys 'n' Indians role-play 

The Downer- Self-explanatory

Any other suggestions?

Do you actually think China and Russia just bought our gas because of APEC or John Howard ?. Give us a break-they'd buy the stuff if Jack The Ripper was running Australia- even you must know that.

And I don't think Kevin Rudd is in the position as Opposition leader to actually do deals is he ?. But given the ovation he got with his fluent Mandarin greeting to the Chinese president it looks like it will be him doing the deals by 2008.

It will cost $31 billion to develop this big lie.

Hey Alan, how do you think the Iraqis liked it when the bosses bombed their country to bits, murdered 1 million people, made 4.5 million homeless and left 25% of their children on the verge of starvation?    So much more petty than knocking down the doors of parliament house 20 years ago though isn't it?

I think the Chaser was the funniest thing I have seen in years.    All that pompous bullshit about securing the world's worst war criminal, a couple of brutal communist dictators and some pathetic also rans and a comedy group get through with police permission.

As for that stupid gas deal?    That same deal with Woodside has been signed for the last 4 meetings but we have so far not sold a drop of the stuff to China.    And to do so will mean partially destroying the Burrup peninsula with thousands of pieces of ancient aboriginal rock art.

It will also mean we continue to fuel the vile slave labour machine where our kids' Barbie dolls and other toys are made by girls in slave factories working 80 hours a week for 15 cents an hour and using lead paint.

Good one Alan.

George Bush must be breaking all protocol be continually endorsing John Howard as his Man of (rusted) Steel. Especially with an election due soon. It's outrageous to be doing so and implying that Howard is the reason the Aussies and Yanks have always held each other in high regard. However obviously his advisers haven't told George that his efforts are likely to backfire electorally.

Interesting speculation in crikey that Howard may have already been given a tap on the shoulder by Alexander Downer and an announcement could be made next week either about retirement or an election.

The Chaser crew should be congratulated as showing up the overblown APEC security for the complete fiasco it is. And a busload of young socialists were stopped on their way to Sydney by police with a search warrant looking for drugs-although none were found. This type of intimidation is really out of control.

And what has Australia got out of this madess so far ?-a huge bill for the taxpayers and a bell !.

Richard:  I wonder what intel the busload raid was made on?  An insider perhaps?

Which is the greater farce?

[SMH extract]

ABC TV which airs the satirical The Chaser's War on Everything, and the program's producers, said in a statement last night that the Chaser team had no intention of entering the APEC restricted zone.

They had no knowledge that they had entered a restricted zone, the statement said.

"The motorcade proceeded down Macquarie Street with the permission of police.

"When the Chaser reached the perimeter of what they thought was the APEC restricted zone, they voluntarily turned around.

"The police only detained the Chaser motorcade when it was turning around and after Chas Licciardello emerged from a car dressed as Osama bin Laden.

The statement said the Chaser team members were wearing mock "insecurity'' passes, which expressly stated they were a joke.

But the head of the APEC investigation squad, NSW Police Force Detective Superintendent Ken McKay was not amused.

He issued his own statement last night, but he didn't mention police had given permission to the comedians.

I love the irony.  While I was watching that security display yesterday, Dubya was heading in to admire my cousin's scrimshaw artwork.

Scrimshaw is a bit of a Kennedy thing, JFK having been buried with his favourite pieces.  Gary Tonkin is one of the most respected artists in the US.  His exhibition on the Catalpa escape is about to tour capital cities.

Of course, he was probably having a squizz at the tall ships, and the submarine.  The destroyer parked in the middle of them, however, didn't look like too much of a relic,  not that I know a lot about radar gear, but I would've thought the sensor arrays would've been removed if it had been decommisssioned ;)

"The motorcade proceeded down Macquarie Street with the permission of police.

"When the Chaser reached the perimeter of what they thought was the APEC restricted zone, they voluntarily turned around.

"The police only detained the Chaser motorcade when it was turning around and after Chas Licciardello emerged from a car dressed as Osama bin Laden.

Millions of dollars spent on security, still it didn't prevent the Chaser team from entering the security zone. What if this had been a real attempt?

Makes a mockery of all that security. Its all for show, a real terrorist would have been able to pick off targets at will.  

The stunt involved driving a fake motorcade into the northern part of the CBD including Macquarie Street, with one of the crew dressed as Osama bin Laden.

Mr Campbell says the situation is not funny and is being treated seriously by the APEC Investigation Squad.

"This is an extremely serious issue," he said.

"The Government has made the point time and time again, that we've got the most serious, the biggest security operation in Australia's history.

I don't know about you, but I thought it was pretty funny. My wife and I are still kaking ourselves.

It all seemed like a non-event at the start of the day.  I'd taken the train into Circular Quay, as you can't do that tomorrow, for a ferry ride around to Darling Harbour.  Fairly solid police presence at the docks, but nothing major.  A little ring of white buoys 100 metres out from the docks, and one of those little inflatables with the scuba divers.  No uniformed jet-skiers, in fact bugger all.

Even around at the shopping centre in front of the hotels where the delegates are staying, a couple of uniforms here and there, one to two guards on each entry point to the barricades.  The young bloke with his shirt hanging out seemed to get a longer questioning than most.  Nothing much to see.

I'd crossed back over at the footbridge near the IMAX when wockawocka went the first police chopper as it made a near-hover recce. It was closely followed by a second.  Then above them appeared what I guess was an army helicopter (silver grey) which sat about 300 feet above the hotels, the blue-and-whites beneath them doing low-level swoops of the area.  There was a fourth, but I couldn't work out what it was.

I went up to the footpath of the Anzac Road bridge for a better look, standing above the middle of the waterway scribbling some notes.  Thought I might try my luck crossing over the barricaded area from above.  It wasn't to be.  A very polite constable came up and out to ask me what I was doing, if I was a visitor, etc.  I explained to him I was thinking about going to my cousin's scrimshaw exhibition at the Maritime Musuem, which was partly true.  I told him I didn't want to be a bother, as I understood he had a job to do.  He explained that things were a bit tense at the moment, and I bid adieu and returned from whence I came, to head into the CBD.

Police everywhere.. marked and unmarked cars whizzing around with lights flashing, foot patrol after foot patrol.  I was getting concerned when the Police Rescue van rushed by.  As a bloke next to me was exclaiming into his mobile,  "There are F#ing copes everywhere!"  And there were. 

The air was full of sirens and the sound of helicopters.

This was around two o'clock till three, and half an hour later you'd never have know it had happened if you weren't there.

But I was, and I'll never forget it.

Mary j Shepherd says:

Bush is a war criminal of the lowest order and is responsible for the murder of over 1 million people, Gitmo Bay, Abu Ghraib, the atrocities in Afghanistan, the arming of Israel to murder Lebanese civilians, the arming of Israel to murder Palestinians, his refusal to engage in climate change and so on.

Putin is a rank amateur.

Richard:  Mary J apparently there's a problem with some links on your last post.  Could you have a look?  I'm flat strapped timewise.

 

Michael de Angelos: "George Bush and John Howard who proclaim (despite the evidence) that Iraq is a monument to freedom whilst ignoring the many other ghastly situations in the world-Burma,  Chechnya. Zimbabwe ..."

Oh, yeah. John Howard never says anything about Zimbabwe...

"Australia is funding terrorism and Prime Minister John Howard is a war criminal, Zimbabwe's Information and Publicity Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu says.

Zimbabwe's latest attack on the Australian government comes after Mr Howard banned the one-day cricket team from touring the southern African nation this September because of the despotic regime of President Robert Mugabe.

"The Australian people should really stand against John Howard's gestapo tendencies and interference with other states. He wants to cause insecurity in our country and that we will not allow," Dr Ndlovu told ABC Radio today.

"He is the international gestapo and a criminal ... he is worse than anybody else, his actions in banning the cricket is just one example of being the gestapo," Dr Ndlovu said of Mr Howard."

Then again, the official Zimbabwean line about John Howard are echoed more or less verbatim in wine bars and cafés from Toorak to Glebe.

Maybe that's why you haven't noticed it?

 

Here.

Michael de Angelos: "George Bush and John Howard who proclaim (despite the evidence) that Iraq is a monument to freedom whilst ignoring the many other ghastly situations in the world-Burma,  Chechnya. Zimbabwe ..."

Maybe just a tad unfair there, Michael, given the Bushes' recent (I guess) activism with regard to Burma, of which just a random sample...

• Laura Bush calls for pressure on Burma
• US First Lady calls for UN intervention into Burma arrests
• Bush speaks out on Burma

I've been impressed, to a limited degree, with Mr & Mrs Bush's rhetoric on Burma. Whether all that translates into any kind of decisive action remains to be seen.

And of course the First Couple's past record leaves something to be desired (e.g., we haven't heard much lately from Laura about the plight of Afghani women since things began to go awry there after the fall of the Taliban).

I've no doubt that some Aussie protestors will target the Burma problem at the APEC protests, but whether that will be heard above the anti-Bush din, again, remains to be seen.

You put a heavy burden upon Sydney protesters who have already stated their reasons for demonstrating against APEC-and that means the 21 leaders who will be at APEC-and ignore the un-democratic actions of both Federal and NSW State governments in attempting to stifle those protests.

A TV interview does not equal  the free and unfettered right of all people to protest and have their voices heard.

Your logic could also be apply to those bastions of democracy, George Bush and John Howard who proclaim (despite the evidence) that Iraq is a monument to freedom whilst ignoring the many other ghastly situations in the world-Burma,  Chechnya. Zimbabwe and some we even embrace-China and Saudi Arabia. 

But I'm all for the continued spotlight upon anti-APEC protests. They have completely nullified any bounce Howard would have got from his grand show. The demonstrators-who haven't event taken to the streets yet- have petrified every bullying goon from the State premier to the PM, a variety of Ministers and tough sounding coppers and my straw poll of the general public is that the whole escapade is one giant yawn. 

The demonstrators have actually already won the political war with political bullies handing them so much power on a plate with their over-reaction, whether there is a violent or a peaceful march.

That's real power.

John and Janette should really just enjoy their swansong and order in the packing cases to Kirribilli House as soon as the last APEC guest has departed.

 

In an effort to promote an atmosphere of safety and goodwill, the Stop Bush Coalition has decided tonight to march on a route recommended by NSW Police.

The decision was made on a vote which passed 62 in favour, 41 against.

An attendee of meeting told me that "the message we're sending is that an eighty year old grandmother could bring her four year old grand-daughter without fear of repression.

Meanwhile, a source with close ADF connections told me tonight that the Ghost Dancers and Trajectories Of Dissent organisers were of particular interest to ASIO.

Thanks Stephen.

This gives a possible reason for staging these things.

As a friend of mine asked: Why not have it on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean?

Yours is at least one answer.

 

Richard:  QED to what?

That clearly there's one set of standards for anti-APEC protesters when it comes to demonstrating against elected leaders of western, especially English speaking countries, and another set of standards entirely when it comes to un-elected or positively corrupt leaders like Presidents Hu and Putin.

Two darlings from the 'Stop Bush' committee were on the Seven Network this morning explaining at lenght why they were organising protests against George W Bush.

Completely deadpan, they included 'reasons' such as the USA's involvement in Iraq (but not Russia's involvement in Chechnya, Georgia or the Ukraine nor China's in Tibet, North Korea or Taiwan), the USA's environment policies (but not China's or Russia's), the "hypocrisy" of Bush's and Howard's "public statements on democracy" (but not Putin's or Hu's), etc, etc, etc..

They also added they were organising protest demonstrations against for the right to protest and the lack of freedom of speech in Australia.

On network television.

Without so much as a hint of irony.

One little sweety even said she was taking the day off from school to do this.

Try that in China.

Richard Tonkin asks

"Have the Copenhagen Al Qaeda arrests gotten everyone scared of infiltrators?  I wonder if they were on their way to Sydney.  I wonder who else is."

Well, as you know, the threat of terrorism in Australia is:

• barely existant at all and merely greatly exaggerated in order to curtail our freedoms, but
• greatly increased because of our involvement in Iraq.

Alexander Downer is worried that if Labor wins the imminent election, Australians will have a government that "kicks sand into the eyes of the American president."

Perhaps Dolly could tell poor widdle George about the Charles Atlas program.

Or perhaps someone could explain in simple terms to Dolly — who could then gently explain to George — that criticism does not equate to having sand kicked in one's face.

Climate change campaigners have appealed to world leaders attending the APEC summit to take notice of a petition signed by half a million people around the world.

Believed to be the largest worldwide petition on climate change, it contains the names of about 91,000 Australians.

Progressive political group GetUp, which coordinated the collection of Australian signatures, unveiled a hard copy of the petition, which filled 18 cardboard boxes.

We can't all make it to Sydney to flash our bums at Bush, Howard and their mates, but we can sign the petition, lets make it 1 million people.
 

The fact that 21 or so demonstrators are banned from Sydney during APEC reflects in a minor way what is happening in the US with 100,000 Americans placed on “watch” and “no fly” lists as described by Naomi Wolf ( who tells how she is harassed at airports every time she travels ) in her book The End Of America. Strident Bush critic and long time senator Edward Kennedy is on the list, being repeatedly hassled at domestic airports as was a 6 year old Muslim English kid on holiday in Florida.

In a move that may eclipse other recent moon stories, our most famous desecrater of APEC meeting halls, Will Saunders, has come up with another innovative demo: a world record mass moon at the howl. Friday 3pm Hyde Park North.

 

 Bush is coming to Sydney. Thousands of police, total CBD lockdown, draconian new laws to stifle all protest. Just so nothing disturbs Howard’s moment of glory. APEC’s agenda is more free-market madness, more nuclear power, more warmongers deciding how best to fuck the world over. Is this the future we want? Let’s tell Bush what we really think about his visit. Only 4000 cheeks are needed to make the biggest moon in history – a world record Australia can really be proud of. There will also be an official ‘21 bum salute’ for the 21 countries in APEC. Hyde Park is not a ‘Declared’ or ‘Restricted’ area, you’ve every right to be there. Bring your friends, bring the family, bring your humour, bring a cheeky message. This is one APEC protest we can all enjoy. www.bumsnotbombs.org

Again-an independent judiciary is one of our most treasured assets. How dare the police get up and tell unmitigated lies in court. What scoundrels they are but it happens every day with full support from gutter rags like the Daily Terror with so-called news bulletins from commercial TV now getting in on the act.

You would think that Sydney had been riven with dozens of violent demos over the years but with the focus upon a few thousand marchers lawfully displaying their displeasure to the ideals of APEC it must be driving the Howard government quite insane. The impression given is that the Sydney has been fenced off because of anti-Bush protesters thus negating Howard & Cos message that 'terrorists' are hiding under every bed.

Perhaps Mini Me Morris Iemma is part of a Labor plot to shift focus upon the demonstrators with his constant harping about getting tough with these mythical violent protesters

I like this man.

[Age extract]

Justice Michael Adams acknowledged there were real issues of public safety, but said the police powers could serve to inflame an already highly sensitive event.

"The powers given to police are very unusual in Australia, I think indeed unprecedented," he said.

"There's no question that there would be many people in the community, and I'm not talking about most, but many would resent the extension of such powers to the police, even for such a limited period of time.

"There might be many who would be tempted to test the police ... in this kind of situation and indeed perhaps to provoke the police into action ... for the reason of obtaining publicity and putting into debate ... the suitability of giving police these powers in a democracy like ours."

Justice Adams also emphasised any order he made would be formal only, and neither the court nor the police had the power to prohibit public assembly or free speech.

"It's quite wrong that legislation should be made in a way that is misleading to the public," Justice Adams said.

The protesters have conceded that the Martin Place route is unviable due to the streets declaration as a restricted area, but are still fighting to be able to gather at the fence.

PRIME Minister John Howard did not greet the most powerful man in the world when he arrived in Sydney last night, instead deciding to attend the Dally M National Rugby League Player of the Year awards.

Howard didn't even bother to meet Bush on arrival. I am sure Howard had his priorities right. More votes in football than international politics.