Media Release
Friday 28 September 2007

Tasmania Police drop claim against Weld Angel

“Huon Valley Environment Centre today congratulates Tasmania Police for withdrawing their controversial claim for costs from a Weld Valley Protester, Allana Beltran, aka the Weld Angel. There has been an outpouring of public support for Allana Beltran, and her role in standing up for Tasmania’s threatened forests,” Huon Valley Environment Centre spokesperson Jenny Weber said.

“It’s now time for Forestry Tasmania to follow suit and drop their compensation claim. Their compensation claim is a blatant misuse of government institutions to stifle dissent,” Jenny Weber said.

“Large areas of wilderness forest in the Weld Valley and elsewhere in Tasmania continue to be decimated every day. Non violent protests are vital to put a spotlight on these rapidly vanishing forests and form an integral part of a worldwide tradition of opposing unjust laws, from Gandhi to the Women’s right movements,” Jenny Weber said.

“An end to logging of old growth and high conservation value forests in Tasmania and their immediate protection will see an end to these protests. The real crime perpetrated in our forests is the clearfelling and brutal logging of native forest.” Jenny Weber said.