Politics

Cops Arrest Three At Mardi Gras For Staging “Unauthorised” Protest Of The Liberal Party Float

"Cops don't belong at Mardi Gras."

by Joseph Earp  1 March 2020
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Last night at the Sydney Mardi Gras, members of the NSW Police Force arrested three protesters from the “Department of Homo Affairs” for staging an “unauthorised” demonstration against the official Liberal Party Float.

Members of the “Department” joined the parade with signs criticising the Liberal party. The most prominent, a large blue banner, read, “Turn Back The Float, Wreck Their Endeavour”, a reference to the Liberal Party’s dangerous and inhumane immigration policy.

Another mocked-up the Liberal Party’s Mardi Gras banner so as to read: “The Liberal Team: Celebrating Invasion.”

Later, the “Department” took to Twitter to further explain the protest. “The [Liberal Party] invade our celebration. They are an unauthorised entry at Mardi Gras and their endeavour to celebrate 250 years of white supremacy will be intercepted.”

Shortly after the protesters began marching in the parade, they were stopped by police.

Greens leader Adam Bandt later published footage of the three being arrested to his Twitter page.

The NSW Police Force has since “justified” the actions by explaining that the protest was “unauthorised”, and that the Department of Homo Affairs was not cleared to march in the parade.

This follows weeks of public discussion from the queer community where it was largely agreed that the police should play no role in the Mardi Gras celebrations. The first Mardi Gras was a protest against police brutality, during which Kings Cross police officers beat and arrested peaceful protesters. Decades later, the NSW Police has never apologised, and so should not be allowed to “play nice” at one of the most important queer events of the year.

The Department of Homo Affairs continue to tweet photos and information about their protests.

Solidarity.