Redfern Legal Centre welcomes the NSW Court of Appeal decision ruling the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD) laws invalid.
The Court held that the laws, in banning all public assemblies in areas subject to a PARD without exception, had the unconstitutional purpose of preventing public assemblies and political communication.
The NSW Government cannot suspend the democratic right of the community to protest.
Restricting peaceful protests only weakens community trust and the capacity of the community to come together and have their voices heard.
This decision reflects a trend of excessive overreach aimed at restricting protests, which has been overturned by the legal process.
The ruling is significant because it affirms that laws should not undermine the constitutional right to freedom of political communication.
To avoid police use of excessive force against protestors and to protect democratic expression, the NSW Government must now act to wind back its regime of restrictions on the right to protest."
ENDS
