The banners accused the Federal Government of war crimes. Photo: James Coleman.
Police have arrested four protesters at Parliament House after they breached security and scaled the roof to unfurl banners displaying anti-war and pro-Palestine messaging.
Two of the banners, unveiled this morning around 10:30 am, read “Free Palestine from the river to the sea” and “No peace on stolen land – genocide since 1788”, while the largest, draped over the coat of arms, accused the Federal Government of being complicit in “war crimes” in Palestine, as well as Vietnam, Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.
A crowd gathered out the front to watch the protest. Photo: James Coleman.
Protesters also threw paper planes from the roof inscribed with messages calling for Australia to support global peace and to end “the enabling of war crimes”.
The protest was instigated by a group calling themselves Renegade Activists, which, in a subsequent post to its Instagram page, revealed it had chosen 4 July, Independence Day in the US, as an occasion of “blood-soaked American flag-waving”.
Four protesters were arrested. Photo: James Coleman.
“We declare to the Australian government, we will continue to unmask you and to resist.”
Police officers cordoned off the area to the public and, within an hour, had directed the protesters to leave the roof. Three other officers subsequently donned safety equipment and climbed onto the roof to remove the banners.
Police removed the banners at around 11:30 am. Photo: James Coleman.
A spokesperson for ACT Policing said three men and one woman have been arrested. They are expected to be charged with Commonwealth trespass offences. They have also been issued with 24-month banning notices from Parliament House.
Original Article published by James Coleman on Riotact.
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