Melbourne Activist Legal Support (MALS)

🇦🇺Australia: Police arbitrarily arrested & used excessive force against protesters demonstrating against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to the country. We call for an investigation into the abuses & for police to be held to account sbs.com.au/news/article/p…

🇦🇺#Australia: The state of #civicspace is rated as 'narrowed' Ahead of its UN human rights review, the authorities have continued to disrupt #protests, criminalise #protesters and use excessive force More here: web.civicus.org/AustraliaOct20…

🇺🇳Ahead of @UN's Universal Periodic Review (#UPR51), CIVICUS & partners submitted reports on 🇷🇼Rwanda, 🇳🇵Nepal & 🇦🇺Australia highlighting #civicspace violations & threats to human rights defenders. We call on member states to push for concrete reforms ➡️web.civicus.org/UPR51

@9NewsAUS Human rights groups have called for these weapons to be banned in Victoria for this very reason. mals.au/2023/04/28/mal…

Clear evidence of how police use these weapons indiscriminately around the world. KIP (Kinetic Impact Projectile) weapons need to be banned in Victoria. @withMEAA @SonyaKilkenny #vicpolwatch #protectprotest

STATEMENT OF CONCERN 'Abolish the Police - Our Safety in Our Hands' rally, 9 May 2025 Legal observers (LOs) documented: • misuse of designated area powers • excessive police resources • aggression toward protesters & LOs 🔗mals.au/view/statement… #VicPolWatch #ProtectProtest

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𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗘!📢 Victoria Police have declared a designated area in Melbourne's Parliament House precinct on 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟴𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝟳.𝟱𝟵𝗽𝗺. Info about police powers & your rights in a DA below👇🧵1/5 #VicPolWatch

Ping @davidHRLC @LibertyVic @FitzroyLegal @Police_Acc_Proj @amnestyOz @amnestynl @hrw @DGavshon @Ginitastar @cvoule @UN_SPExperts @MaryLawlorhrds @CIVICUSMonitor @CIVICUSalliance @josefroy2 @netpol @LegalObsNsw @TamarHopkins2 @IMelbCL @APAN4Palestine @FPMelbourne @ChangeCommons

DID YOU KNOW? 🤔 Everyone in Victoria has the #RightToProtest regardless of citizenship or visa status. NEW ACTIVIST GUIDE!✊ Protesting in Victoria – a guide for visa holders and people who are not citizens View or download the guide here: mals.au/resources/righ… #VicPolWatch

Absolutely delighted to announce this Protest Legal Observer project with @ICCLtweet is up, with immense help from @ActivistLegal Vicki Sentas @CianOConcubhair & others. If you're interested in training as a legal observer in Ireland, please get in touch. iccl.ie/iccl-irish-net…

@ruawall @ICCLtweet @CianOConcubhair Well done! A very exciting and important initiative. It looks fantastic!

Victoria’s hate crime laws should protect communities while upholding our right to freedom of expression. Senior Lawyer @ArifHuss explains why a public interest defence is key to striking that balance in @theage. theage.com.au/politics/victo…

So proud to share how Melbourne Activist Legal Support @ActivistLegal monitors civic space across Victoria & Australia and how grassroots organisations are mobilising to #ProtectProtest & resist increasing repression of #HumanRights & the #RightToProtest by police & governments.

MALS Legal observers were on site, recording & gathering evidence & are now key witnesses in this case. Our detailed report can be seen here: mals.au/2019/12/06/rep… #VicPolWatch #OCSpray

German authorities must stop their crackdown on speech and protests and the discriminatory restriction of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. #ProtectTheProtest ✊

#CIVICUSLens: Check out our latest interviews! 🇿🇼 proposal to extend presidential terms in #Zimbabwe 🇦🇺 #Australia's increasing right to protest restrictions 🇩🇪 rise of #Germany's Right-Wing party 🇬🇼 the political crisis in #GuineaBissau Learn more at lens.civicus.org.