MIKIVERSE HEADLINE NEWS

MEDIA RELEASE – 7.20am FRIDAY OCTOBER 21st 2011

Move to Evict Occupy Melbourne?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

At 6.58 council issued us with the following notice:
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“I am an authorised officer of the Melbourne City Council.
I direct all persons in the City Square who are, in my opinion, failing to comply with the Council Activities Local Law 2009 by:
- Camping in the City Square; and
- Hanging or placing objects and things on or over the city square.
both without a permit, to
- leave the city square; and
-remove all items, goods and equipment including tents and associated infrastructure which the person owns or is responsible for.
by 9am on Friday 21 October 2011.
If you do not comply with this direction in the time provided we will be referring the matter to the Victoria Police and you may be subject to further enforcement proceedings and/or trespass.
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We remain committed to peacefully occupying public space and intend to remain.
Please join us if you believe that public use of public space for peaceful protest is worth supporting.

MEDIA RELEASE – 5:30pm THURSDAY OCTOBER 20th 2011

Victoria Police Speak to OM Protestors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Inspector Bernie Jackson of the Melbourne East police station this afternoon met with Occupy Melbourne protestors today to discuss a potential eviction scenario.
Jackson stressed that Victoria Police does not have the authority on its own to prosecute the eviction, and instead will wait for Melbourne City Council’s instructions on how to proceed.
Inspector Jackson said that once an eviction notice had been served, a “reasonable time” would be given for protestors to voluntarily vacate City Square. “Reasonable time will be given in hours, as in a number of hours,” said Jackson. He qualified: “it’s not going to be in the middle of the night.”
Inspector Jackson further discussed Victoria Police’s likely course of action should an eviction order be issued. When the police arrive on site, protestors will be again asked to leave voluntarily. Anyone who refuses to leave will be forcibly removed from City Square by police officers.
Inspector Jackson told the crowd that he was satisfied with the current state of relations between police and the Occupy Melbourne protestors.
Inspector Jackson’s statement will be discussed at the nightly General Assembly, to be held at 6pm this evening on the north side of City Square.
Jackson was challenged by a number of vocal members of the crowd, including Indigenous activist Robbie Thorpe.
Mr Thorpe asked Jackson: “If the by-laws [relating to the Summary Offences Act’s powers for eviction] relate to the Aboriginal people and if so, how?”
Inspector Jackson responded that the police force was required to follow the directions of the Melbourne City Council with regard to the eviction of protestors.
Mr Thorpe later told Occupy Melbourne’s media liaison team that any eviction notice served on the protestors is likely to be immediately challenged in the courts.
 MEDIA CONTACT
Nick Carson, media spokesperson, 0438 428 116
Tal Slome, media spokesperson,  0421 652 642