Hundreds rally against Land Forces defence expo in Perth
Hundreds of people marched through Perth city to peacefully protest the Land Forces defence expo, which opened today. The protesters, representing 35 organisations, were united in their opposition to the event, being held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
More than 600 people marched through Perth city to peacefully protest Australia's biggest land defence expo, which opened in the state capital today. The protesters, representing 35 organisations, were united in their opposition to the Land Forces event, being held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Chanting anti-war slogans, protesters held various placards and signs that read "there is no future in war" and "warmongers not welcome". The planned protest began in Yagan Square before marching to Elizabeth Quay, near the expo.
The demonstration was surrounded by a heavy police presence, with vans and other vehicles on stand-by. WA Police have been given special powers as part of the security for the event.
At the start of the march, Noongar elders held a traditional smoking ceremony, which was followed by a group of dancers performing a flash mob to Edwin Starr's famous anti-war anthem "War". Several Palestinian flags were held aloft, as well as signs criticising the military industry that included "Guns=Death" and "End arms trade with Israel".
"I think the world's at a crossroads. We've got to choose between peace and we've got to choose between war," said one protester, Paddy Cullen.
The protesters were critical of the expo and the military industry. "Just think of what 11 million dollars could have been put towards in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis," said demonstrator Danica Scott, referring to the extra $11.5 million given to police to provide security for the expo.
Climate protester Will Shanahan, who is on the excluded persons list, said he attended the protest to highlight the overlap between military activity and environmental damage. "The military is so destructive of the environment," they said.
The biennial Land Forces conference, featuring industry representatives from 60 countries, is being held between October 6 and 8 at Perth's Convention and Exhibition Centre, featuring almost 1,000 exhibiting organisations. WA police were given 10 days of temporary extra powers for the event, which included the ability to ban "excluded persons" from the expo and its dedicated security zone outside the convention centre.
A new facial recognition system currently being trialled by WA police will likely be used to help enforce those bans. In the lead-up to Land Forces, police deemed Greens staffer Matilda Lane-Rose an excluded person, but she was now permitted to enter the event's area for a "short window" on Tuesday to film content, after she lodged a complaint in the Supreme Court.
Police Minister Reece Whitby has described the police response as the "biggest police operation" in the state.