Parliament Invaders to receive decision tomorrow

Four human rights campaigners will find out tomorrow whether or not they will be acquitted of the charge “disturbing the legislative assembly whilst it was in session”.

The four were among nine people charged with the offence after their peaceful entry into the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly on the 14th of May 2002.

The group were protesting against the draconian “drug house” legislation which allows police to signpost a home with a 1.2 metre high fluorescent green sign declaring the home a drug house. Once the sign has been erected police can:

- raid the premises as often as they like without a warrant,

- stop and question anyone within 200 metres of the sign,

- issue restraining orders, barring people from attending the premises, and

- with telephone approval from a magistrate, conduct cavity searches on anyone on the premises.

No charges need to be laid and no convictions are required before a home can be declared a “drug house”.

Michael Paul Lambe, Robert Inder-Smith, Stuart Highway and Gary Meyerhoff argued their innocence during a 3 day hearing earlier this month. The group argued that it was their duty to protest against the "drug house" laws and the institutionalised racism in the Northern Territory, where 86% of prisoners are indigenous.

The decision will be delivered by Justice David Angel in Darwin tomorrow at 9.30am Australian Central Standard Time in the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

For more information call Gary on 0415 16 2525 or see the following sites:

Network Against Prohibition: http://www.napnt.org

People Against Racism in Aboriginal Homelands: http://www.country-liberal-party.com