NRE ACTION
Melbourne 20th May 2002

25 forest conservationists went to the Natural Resources & Environment building in Melbourne to protest against the logging of old growth forest in Victoria, particularly Goolengook and the exclusion zones NRE have been enforcing which locks the public out of state forests for up to a 25km. radius.

Around 9:30am we entered the building and headed towards the lifts to speak to NRE officers which were on the 18th floor. We were stopped by security guards and were prevented going further into the building. Police were called and 2 arrived 10 minutes after our arrival.

Conservationists hung banners in the foyer and brought in tree ferns, which had been brought from a recently logged coupe in East Gippsland. Police soon out numbered us and locked down the building apart from 1 of the main entry doors which we were holding open. Police then forced people out of the doorway by physically throwing them through the police lines as well as pinning people on the ground pressure pointing their necks. I was personally rugby tackled onto a tiled floor while on my way to lockon. Police and protestors then had a stalemate at the door while protestors held their ground and members of the police lashed out punching, kneeing and pressure pointing us. Battons were produced but pulled away by senior cops. The cops also retaliated badly when people attempted to bring the tree ferns into the foyer. The heavy handedness of the cops eventually pushed the action outside till we dispersed around midday.

This behavior by Victorian police was typical of how the police have been behaving in the forest acting under the NRE. Even engaging in illegal acts such as having guns in protest situations and taking name badges off rather then letting people protest peacefully.