From The Mercury

Thursday, November 23, 2006.

Forest rally halted by police

by KANE YOUNG

ENVIRONMENTALISTS took their protest against logging in Tasmania's Weld Valley to the streets of Hobart yesterday.
About 30 activists -- some with young children and babies -- staged a spontaneous protest in Liverpool St before being stopped by police.

No arrests were made, but Acting Inspector David Richardson said the protesters endangered themselves and others by not applying for a permit "so that we could ensure their safety and that of other road users".

"We consider it to be irresponsible, and to involve infant children is taking it to another level of irresponsibility," Insp Richardson said.

"Four people were given directions to leave the CBD . . . and a prosecution file is going to be submitted, in relation to the organisers, for various offences for consideration.

"Whilst I'm expressing my annoyance and frustration at their failure to apply for a permit so we could safely police the event, I would also make the point that the protest was conducted peacefully."

Ongoing protests in the Weld Valley itself led to another arrest yesterday -- the 17th in the past week. A man, 25, was charged with trespass after refusing requests from police to come down from a tree-sit in a Forestry Tasmania exclusion zone.

Forestry executive manager Hans Drielsma said protesters failed to acknowledge that 82 per cent of the Weld catchment was protected.

"In the next eight years less than 2 per cent of the Weld will be harvested and replanted to native forest," he said.

The Tasmanian Greens yesterday tabled a motion in State Parliament congratulating those standing up against the destruction of the Weld.