Tasmania Police fail to protect women from violence outside Parliament House in Hobart in March 2023
In Tasmania we like to regard our state as a peaceful and accepting place where our people can safely and freely discuss the important issues of the day. But on Tuesday 21st, March 2023 we found to our dismay that there is one group of people in Tasmania who are not allowed to participate in a speaking event (not a protest) about the issues that concern their rights, safety and welfare, and that group is women!
Organisers for the event in March had sought permission from the Speaker Minister Mark Shelton to hold the event, but when they found out that a protest against us by trans rights activists had also been authorised by the Speaker, several letters of objection were sent to the Speaker based on very real fears women had for their safety. The Speaker rejected outright these applications to have the authorisation canceled for the protesters.
On that day a group of Tasmanian women gathered on the lawns in front of our state parliament to talk about the serious issues that have arisen due to the introduction of Self ID laws in Tasmania in 2019. This gathering was part of a series of events called ‘Let Women Speak’ which were organized as an Australia wide tour under the auspices of the leading English women’s rights campaigner, Kellie-Jay Keen. Two security personnel had been employed by Kellie Jay-Keen to ensure her safety although at the finale of the event she had to be rushed from the scene.
Kellie Jay-Keen added a much needed voice to our public campaign here in Tasmania based on her extensive experience in the UK and elsewhere.
The event provided an opportunity for Tasmanian women to speak about our concerns for safety in women only spaces such as toilets, domestic violence shelters, etc. Women could speak about their safety in women’s prisons and women’s sports. Women could speak about the erosion of language pertaining to females and the erasure of sex as a category under anti discrimination law.
But this did not happen. Again, women were silenced. A rabid mob of screeching, chanting, abusing, spitting pro-trans activists crashed the rally. This terrifying mob was allowed by Tasmania Police to leave their designated area and come into physical contact with the small group of brave women who were attempting to make their voices heard. After continued surging of the protesters, which Police failed to impede, Kellie-Jay moved the speaker group back to the wall of parliament house. The levels of noise made by the mob amounted to noise assault, yet again the police took no action. No one present could hear any of the heartfelt speeches which those brave women still managed to deliver. These speeches were captured by the microphone here:
This was indeed a day that will go down in Tasmanian history as the most violent protest targeting women this state has witnessed. Even journalists were horrified and in a state of shock. On this day Tasmania Police chose to allow the mob to perpetrate violence and intimidation against a small group of vulnerable, elderly and disabled women.
The mostly older women who attended that day were terrified and traumatised. Many left the event for fear for their safety.. Many have reported suffering from PTSD weeks and even years after due to the extreme levels of terror they experienced on that day. Some women are now afraid to be in large crowds, afraid to speak publicly and constantly triggered by memories of that awful day.
On that day many women implored members of Tasmania Police present to hold back the protesters. Women who were watching the spectacle live on YouTube rang the police, from within Tasmania, interstate and overseas. They implored the police to increase their numbers, hold back the protesters and stop any more violence to women. Tasmania Police stood by and allowed a raging mob to breach multiple laws on assault, harassment, vilification and threats. The Police Minister’s office was telephoned during the event with an urgent request for him to intervene in the events unfolding. Police Minister Felix Ellis did nothing. WST called for an inquiry into events leading up to and on the day of the event, in particular to investigate what instructions Tasmania Police had been given for their attendance at the event. Minister Ellis and Tasmania Police should hang their heads in shame for allowing these crimes not to be investigated.
Further, after repeated written requests to Minister Ellis, he refused to meet with members of WST to discuss our serious and numerous complaints and evidence from the event.
What of our politicians? Some were watching from the windows of parliament house; others were front and centre of the mob and joining enthusiastically in the assault and harassment of their own constituents. Then Greens leader, Cassy O’Connor and the current Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff led the baying mob until Rosalie and Cassy were standing on the steps of Parliament within metres of Kellie. They were actively inciting hatred against Kellie and other members of the Let Women Speak event. None of our politicians demonstrated any concern that they were witnessing a spectacle more likely to be seen in a fascist state. On that day democracy in our beautiful state suffered a shocking blow from which in the aftermath it has achieved no redemption.
The situation in Tasmania remains the same. Trans rights activists continue to mount any road block they can to prevent us from speaking, organising and getting our concerns aired in the public domain.
Trans rights activists do not support diversity and inclusion. The words diversity and inclusion are now seen as a smokescreen for exclusion of anyone who disagrees.
Tasmania has moved from a society that promotes multiculturalism and pluralism to one that is controlled by a political lobby group which by dint of the failure of a robust and independent media, has been able to institutionalise an ideology based on a fiction.
But women will not stop from defending our rights.
Emma Shaw
Women Speak Tasmania