Update on the APEC fence and the Police State (see entry from 31 August): today German tourists in Sydney were forced by police to destroy their pictures. I can't believe this is the society I live in.
I am waiting for the knock on the door telling me to delete my blog entry, and if it comes, my response will be similar to that seen on the sign here. So, if you don;t see me for a few days....
From the Daily Telegraph:
"REQUIRING tourists to delete happy snaps of Sydney's APEC security fence may be "over the top" but it is necessary, NSW Transport Minister John Watkins said.
He was responding today to news reports that three German tourists were asked by police to delete digital photographs of the newly built fence, which stretches five kilometres through Sydney's CBD.
He said the move was part of the efforts to ensure there was no breach during the major protests expected later this week.
"There is some concern amongst police that some of those protesters who are coming ... will look for weak points in the fence," Mr Watkins told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"And that one of the things they are doing is a recce of the fence to find where they can attack it. "
He was responding today to news reports that three German tourists were asked by police to delete digital photographs of the newly built fence, which stretches five kilometres through Sydney's CBD.
He said the move was part of the efforts to ensure there was no breach during the major protests expected later this week.
"There is some concern amongst police that some of those protesters who are coming ... will look for weak points in the fence," Mr Watkins told Southern Cross Broadcasting.
"And that one of the things they are doing is a recce of the fence to find where they can attack it. "
On va vers un monde , où les libertés seront de plus en plus brimées (La fin d'une certaine democratie). Je trouve cela navrant et lamentable. Tu as raison d'en parler
ReplyDeleteOne goes towards a world, where freedoms will be persecuted more and more (end of a certain democracy). I find that disturbing and lamentable. You are right to speak about it
Oh dear. We will be watching the news with more than a little interest over the next few days.
ReplyDeleteSo contradictory things:
ReplyDeleteresponsibility, fear, protection, aggressions, checking . . . . .power, greed for power,enjoying power . . . necessity, uncertainly. . . .
and yes, somebody can knock your door! :)
But you have a spring and more and more flowers around you!
Perhaps they were from the former East Germany, and were revisiting their former life, now recreated in Sydney.Sally, i cannot begin to image Sydney at the moment. When i see the news or 7.30 Report, I am SO-O SO-O angry. I feel so sorry for everyday people, in Sydney, just trying to go about their ordinary business, or for visitors who have had the dreadful misfortune to be in Sydney at this time.It's probably all negated the goodwill established in 2000.
ReplyDeletereading these comments, i have one comment - wow !
ReplyDeletehas sydney become so "big brotherish"?
i always pictured sydney and australia in general as fun loving free and outdoors. not anything like these posts. hmm.
Sad to hear that.
ReplyDelete"Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
ReplyDeleteI always wonder about how much safety we really need! They'll stop a bunch of tourists from taking photos with their cameras but meanwhile someone who is truly "scope" the place out would not be so obvious and wouldn't be caught.
Hmmm
ReplyDeleteThat does not sound like the Sydney that I used to know.
o.k. now this is just the absolute heights of ridiculousness.
ReplyDeleteIf George Orwell were alive Sally, he'd have a good but sad laugh at how accurate his warnings have proved about the destruction of our language. Still, you're not alone. The same inability to understand what police state means was shown repeated by many at the demo last Sunday. I shudder to think what would have happened to them if they'd been in anything even remotely approaching a police state.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I attended, the demo though, even if only because it confirmed my worst fears about what the education system has been doing to students' capacity to think as opposed to simply believe whatever is currently fashionable.
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