MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY BRANCH
MEDIA RELEASE
29 AUGUST 2024
MUA activists sentenced by NSW court for standing against human rights abuses and murder in Palestine
Today, five MUA Sydney Branch members and officials arrested in Port Botany protesting the still-unfolding genocide in Palestine were sentenced at the Downing Centre Court.
All five were convicted under the NSW Government's draconian anti-protest laws which the MUA opposed at conception, introduction and ratification.
Paul Keating, the MUA Sydney Branch Secretary and one of the five activists arrested and sentenced, said "today the NSW Government made a decision to side with a genocidal regime. I am proud to stand beside the Palestinian community in the global tidal-wave of support for justice in Palestine".
The solicitor representing the five MUA members, Enis Erdem said "these union members shouldn't be here today. The laws should never have been passed in the first place, and the record will put the thousands protesting for Palestinian freedom on the right side of history".
Mr. Keating said "there is no court, no Government on earth powerful enough to suppress the cry for Palestinian freedom. I am in awe of the courage and tenacity of the Palestinian people who have already sacrificed so much".
The 'anti-protest' laws used to convict members of the MUA today were introduced by the former Liberal Government, but supported by the Minns Labor Opposition and later government.
MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said, "Clearly, these laws shouldn't be in place. Freedom of assembly is a basic civil right and the Minns Labor Government should be amending the unjust and undemocratic laws of their predecessors in NSW Parliament to bring them in line with democratic principles and Australian community expectations. The MUA continues to join other community groups, civil society organisations and the entire trade union movement in denouncing laws which unfairly target peaceful and legitimate protest action."
During a number of peaceful protests near Port Botany against the Israeli military action against innocent people in Gaza, more than forty people have been arrested and charged under the oppressive anti-protest laws. More than fifteen of these peaceful activists still await trial.
Mr. Erdem said "We intend to defend the charges on the basis that their courageous actions were necessary to prevent genocide from continuing to occur in Gaza. Make no mistake, it will be the Israeli state on trial, and Chris Minns will have to accept that his government has repeatedly sided with a genocidal regime instead of ordinary women and men in his own community".
Mr. Keating said "on behalf of the entire Maritime Union of Australia I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the legal team taking on this fight. They are working pro-bono, and their principle and dedication is a testament to just how powerful ordinary people can be when we decide to stand together for what is right".
Mr. Keating said "these laws are amongst the most draconian, anti-worker, anti-democratic laws passed anywhere in the world. It is a disgraceful stain on the Australian Labor Party that they have doubled-down on this repressive legislation by refusing to amend the laws once they came into power."
"We have already seen courageous young environmental activists sentenced to prison under these same laws simply for trying to stand in the way of runaway catastrophic climate change. Now we've seen Maritime Union members getting convicted for standing up against genocide, in our own Port. Who is going to be next?"
"From Gadigal to Gaza, ordinary people's determination to stand together for justice will never be repressed by short-sighted, two bit politicians. We will continue to fight until Palestine is free".
