Activists execute citizen's arrest on Alexander Downer : Melbourne Indymedia

Downer was able to evade the rodent trap set up at the main entrance by anti-war protesters, but he wasn't so lucky with Jacob Grech and two members of the Centre, one of whom was able to lay the requisite hand on him to formalise the arrest. The Foreign Minister was rescued and whisked away by security, but we understand a certain Sergeant Schmidt (?sp) undertook to ensure that he would be placed in police custody and brought promptly before a magistrate – probably nobody is holding their breath, though. The warrant, see below, specifies a number of offences, including war crimes and several violations of international conventions.

supports of the ASRC accompanied several Iraqi tpv holders at the protest

the arrival of this individual caused a stir ...

less intellectual wanking and more action.....

I agree with Charley.

At last something more than a symbolic wank about this important issue. Someone with the gumption to actually take some decisive action. Not just symbolic crap that anyone can do merely by turning up somewhere as part of a crowd to conduct an 'action'.

Real direct action by a real person.

But of course, executing a warrant is shit easy. Just go up to the named defendant, ensure they are the person named in the warrant then take hold of them. Not exactly rocket science.

Now, for the hard part which sets this action apart from just another wank.

Better fill us in on some details.

What is the name of the person who is going to sign the information (lay the charge) against Downer?

Can you give us an outline of the evidence to be presented to the court? For example, who is going to give what evidence to satisfy each element of proof relative to each charge?

Also, what are the particulars of the proposed charges? Like, where, when and how is Downer alleged to have committed the crimes?

In the event of Downer managing to squirm his way out of the charges, what is the name of the person who will be liable for paying his costs?

Who is going to obtain the written witness statements and prepare the brief of evidence? Quite a monumental task in itself! Obviously a significant part of this work has already been done by Mr Grech and his supporters because people are not arrested on warrants without at least some written and corroborated evidence (as distinct from emotive guff) being in existence.

Finally, someone who is prepared to have a real go with some real action and not just pay lip service to the cause. Someone who is going to put in the time to compile a real brief of evidence to present before a real court. Not just more symbolic cock stropping here. Someone prepared to put their money (quite literally, possibly) where their mouth is.

Bravo, Mr Grech. A REAL hero at last!

I know several of the people in those photos. They all put a shitload of work into these actions. Not just one off stunts but every day - preparing actions like this, building campaigns, doing research, helping real people. I know that several of them at least have made real personal sacrifices for what they believe. I don't know Grech personally, but I'm sure he does the same. Anybody who could call any of these actions "symbolic wank" is a wanker themselves, and as for "heroes"... well why is it that someone is only a "hero" when they get on TV or make a spectacle of themselves?

Also, I commented before that the rat trap and the rodent costumes were cool. I don't know why MIM deleted my comments.

was at downer actions.
agree with RP, all was cool. jacob & the others doing the citizens arrest was cool, the rat trap speak-out and the asylum seeker's vigil were also cool. sent a positive political message and was theatrical is something that could be said about all 3.

i don't know what's with Simone R's singling out of one activist for hero-not-wanker status. i thought that diversity in getting the message across was meant to be a good thing.

saw channel 10 coverage last night. quite hysterical. focussed on the comrades who did the citizens arrest, giving luridly exagerrated acccounts of them "man-handling" the foreign minister and describing it as a major security breach! the cops at the event didn't seem to think so: they just bundled the activists out of the conference venue and let them go.

the logic for Simone R's ranking of the actions seems to be a mirror image of channel 10's bizzarre distortions.

My comments regarding Mr Grech's attempted arrest of Downer seem to have been misunderstood by some. No doubt a communications failure on my part.

The thrust of my argument is that here is a guy who is not just protesting. Not just going through the motions that activists have been engaging in since 1996 with absolutely no identifiable result (other than 'raising awareness' which is just a cop out - you can raise awareness of anything if you do something outrageous enough).

This guy is actually initiating legal action against a Minister of the State. I don't think you can put setting up some stage props or engaging in some other form of street 'theatre' in the same league as actually taking direct action which may achieve something specific. And he's been prepared to have himself publicly identified and put his own money on the line in the event of an unsuccessful prosecution.

Big balls, I call that.

He has taken out an arest warrant against a Minister. He attempted to execute it yesterday. No doubt if it has any legal valididity at all (and I am assuming it has, otherwise the whole episode degenerates into just another ephemoral wank) it will be duly executed and criminal action will ensue.

Mr Grech has presumably sufficient admissible evidence in the form of written statements and other corroborative evidence to satisfy an independent judicial officer to issue the warrant in the first place.

Let's wait to see how Downer gets out of this one!

My point is that I'm sure Grech knows (like everyone else) that the legal system is not run for refugees and people like us. Many people have tried to sue the government before (including around refugees) and hit a wall. Also people have actually broken refugees out of detention, hidden refugees in their homes, helped refugees with their individual cases. This has been going on for years and it all ties together (along with consiousness raising). To try and uphold suing the government (with their own legal system!) above all other forms of action doesn't make sense.

How about Alexander Downer bringing out the old 'feral left' call once again? Would he prefer the 'feral right' to come after him, with their shotguns, tootheless grins, sister-wives and burning crosses? Perhaps we should organise a protest where we get dressed up as the 'feral right' and accost mr Downer. Now that would be funny and effective.

LETS MAKE DOWNER SQEAL LIKE A PIG!!!!!!!

arm gon git ma piller case on ma heed an talk ta him bout them forrin peoples comin in ta ma country!

Seriously though, I think if we had about 20 people dressed in klan outfits, hillbilly clothes etc we could make him look really stupid. Maybe I'll send the idea to the Chaser Decides.

I suggest the "feral right" action should involve people dressing up as Klan members and then *cheering* Downer for doing a great job in keeping the nation "pure and white".

I see that there's a fair number of ...ahem...'Downer Syndrome' types on this thread at the moment.

My hobby is thriving here at MIM.

Viva la imbecilia!!

I see there's only one of them.

Stupidity is thriving with him.

Fellow readers, extract much pleasure from Imbecile Spotter as he persistently makes an ass of himself.

The problem with downer is that he talks and acts without being conscious of it, like a freakin private school, priviledged hereritance- brat.

And you wonder why people hate (or is jealous of him)?

And this guy was vying for the PM-ship lol.

THE MAJOR QUESTION FOR YOU SIMONE R, jacob grech has done his bit, what about you showing some balls, and do your bit.......

How long is the left in this state going to allow a thug who goes around hasseling women to remain unchallenged? At least he was appropriately dressed.

Apart from that gripe, congratulations on pulling the stunt off. Seeing Downer afterwards trying to play up a "tough boy" image brought a smile to my face.

Why not use a real warrant witnessed by a JP? A fancy home made warrant might look nice for the cameras but you can wander in and organise a real one.
At least hed have to send a flunky to court for a hearing.
Seems the usual symbolic wankery to me, there is a certain proportion of the populace that are turned off by the sight of people in costumes shouting about somethin or another.
I think that it doesnt change peoples minds so much as reinforces whatever position they had before wether right or left.

Mole makes some salient points.

(I'm sorry, that means he makes some valid observations relative to the issue under discussion.}

I agree that self indulgent wankers prancing around in costume or engaging in street 'theatre' (yawn) does more harm for a cause than good as it re-enforces stereotypes in the minds of the majority; that is, that activists are, by and large, wankers.

True enough, I guess.

However, Mole forgets that JPs signing warrants went out with pointy shoes and stove pipe pants. Magistrates/judges are the only judicial officers who are authorised to issue both search warrants and warrants of apprehension. A relatively recent innovation in the law; 1986, I believe.

If you look closely at the reproduced 'warrant' used by Grech, you will see the chap signed it himself! That's right. The guy has merely produced some official looking document and signed it himself! What a tosser!

You talk about wankers, Simone R? The guy himself is the biggest puddn' puller of all time!

Mole quite innocently asks why not use a real warrant witnessed by a JP? Simply, my dear child, because you need at least some form of real evidence to satisfy a judge that a warrant is justified. Not just political rhetoric.

I

he did what he had to do, NO fekkin judge would sign any warrant even if grech had all the evidence in the world.

And you wonder why the French guillotined the aristocratic wankers?

The laws do vary from state to state on who is authorised to sign warrants.
However charges like these would probably be beyond the scope of lower courts.
My mistake ( but might be worth checking stae by state)

God you people are a bunch of fucking idiots, how could so many people be so fucking stupid, fuck off from our planet.

Think of it this way, if you were to do a suicide pack, you would first, make less people on earth and thus help envorinment, and you would give extra space for the illegal immigrants.

Speaking from a "normal" persons perspective, by normal I mean, average, working class etc etc...

I can tell you, that there is absolutly buggar all support in the community for your rat bag antics. All you do is discredit yourselves every time you bung something like this on.

As for protest marches, to the average Joe, all we see are f**ing Greens banners and ALP banners. Seems to the majority that all it is, is the bleeding heart student union left, and their mindless mates that couldn;t drum up an original thought if they tried, and obviously they don't try.

The wider community respect peacefull protest, but if you really beleive in what you're doing, I would say it's best to remain independant from any political movement.

You have had absolutely no impact, and probably never will until you realise how ineffective you are being.

We'd rather just kill you instead.

my god, reading thur the first few posts of some of you, makes me wounder if you have eaten too many vegie burgers or something, maybe all the grass is blocking your brain cells, the bit of crap he had was as fucking dumb as the morojns dressed in mole or rat or whatever suits. stop wasting your time and being idiots and do something productive, go join a charity and do volenteer work or something, SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE thats helps people, you people make me sick in your half though of, brain dead ideas,

Dear Leftards,

Thank you all so much for you support over the last 6 months. It is greatly appreciated. Right now I am having a few problems and need to lie low but once the heat clears I promise to come visit you all in Australia.

Until that time, keep fighting the good fight. Never give up in helping my brothers escape the American imperialists.

And don't forget vote Greens. Bob Brown and I are old friends.

Kind regards, your pal
Osama Bin Laden.

The above comments are a perfect example of why young liberals need to be phsyically punished.

BTW:this doesn't mean Andrew [rat] isn't let off the hook.

Young Libs are the children of rich paedophiles.

Alexander Downer is a formidable criminal to apprehend. He's tall, fit and strong (alleged by his claims of working out).