Protesters storm NT Parliament

Security at Parliament House in the Northern Territory has been tested today after 11 protesters stormed into the main chamber.

Northern Territory parliamentarians were in a sombre mood this morning because they had been paying respects to a Stolen Generations member. But the atmosphere quickly turned to confusion when members of the Network Against Prohibition ran into the Legislative Assembly.

The group's leader, Gary Meyerhoff, sat in the Speaker's chair spilling water over the desk before security guards dragged him away. Other members stood on the assembly's main table carrying banners claiming the Northern Territory is a police state.

Security officers and one plain-clothes detective took nearly 10 minutes to eject the group. The protesters are alleging the security officer and policeman used undue force. Police are now trying to get a copy of the Parliament's security video.

The network has defended its action. Mr Meyerhoff says he wants to mobilise the community to fight against the Labor Government's proposed anti-drug legislation that he says will take a zero tolerance approach to drugs.

"We don't know where these drug laws have been pushed from but they're certainly not coming from your average Labor member in the Northern Territory," he said.

"It's coming from somewhere else and it's important that we stand up and resist this sort of legislation."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 14th May 2002
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website: http://www.abc.net.au
Email: comments@your.abc.net.au
Copyright: 2002 Australian Broadcasting Corporation