The Power of Protest

Public protest plays a crucial role in our democracy. Government decisions should serve the community, but when these decisions fail to accurately represent the priorities of the public, protests are a powerful way of sending a collective message: this isn’t what we want, and we will be heard.

Under the pretext of COVID-19 public health orders, there’s been a recent increase in political and legal repression of the right to protest around the world. But despite this opposition, protest during the pandemic has flourished. The past year has seen the release of 100 Medevac refugees after more than eight years in detention, as well as a dramatic rise in support for the Black Lives Matter movement. At a time when authorities are seeking to silence public dissent, can protest reframe vital conversations and generate social and legal change?

We’ll examine the power of protest both inside and outside detention: its role in raising public awareness, the pressure it places on governments, and the impact of solidarity. We’ll hear from Farhad Bandesh, activist, musician and recently released Medevac refugee; Chris Breen, a Refugee Action Collective member who faced incitement charges for protest during the lockdown; and Celeste Liddle, Arrernte woman, Greens candidate and vocal opponent of Australia’s asylum seeker policies. Hosted by Maria O’Sullivan, Deputy Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law.

Presented in partnership with Refugee Action Collective