Statement of Concern - Excessive police surveillance during rally for Palestine in Logan City

On the 3rd of December, Action Ready fielded a team of 7 Legal Observers to monitor policing of the rally organised by @Justice 4 Palestine Meanjin, @Queensland Muslims Inc. and @Brisbane Stands With Palestine at Logan Gardens in Logan.

Above: images taken by Legal Observers on 3 December 2023 in Logan City.

Action Ready is deeply concerned about the Queensland Police Service's heavy surveillance of individuals who attend protests, including recording, photographing and collecting other information about attendees solely exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. This is particularly concerning in the context of these rallies where a large proportion of attendees are already at risk of over-policing, being from racialised backgrounds, refugee and migrant communities, and/or from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.  

The team observed police officers taking photos of the group as well as individual attendees (including children) on iPads, which we understand to be equipped with facial recognition technology. Previously, Legal Observers have observed police officers using their iPads to match digital profiles of individuals with attendees at protests. The above photographs were all taken at Logan Gardens on 3 December 2023 by Legal Observers and show police officers recording the crowd in close proximity - sufficiently close to capture personal information about individual people.

We consider the targeted collection of information on protestors is unjustified and has the effect of intimidating members of the public merely for engaging in peaceful assembly. The practice may also unlawfully limit the rights of attendees, including the right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association, as well as the right to privacy and reputation and the rights of children, among others. Peaceful assemblies cannot be allowed to be treated as places for police to gather information about the movements, beliefs and opinions of politically and civically engaged people. This is especially so in circumstances where the rallies have remained peaceful and substantially compliant with the terms of any notice of intention lodged under the Peaceful Assembly Act 1992 (Qld). All people should feel welcome and able to attend peaceful assemblies without the threat of police gathering information about them and their communities. 

We call on the Queensland Police Service to cease excessive surveillance and recording of attendees at future events organised in support of Palestine, and at all peaceful assemblies.