Occupying Brisbane City Hall

May 8, 2015
Issue 

On May 2, following the rally in King George Square to oppose the forced closures of Indigenous Communities in WA, activists spontaneously marched into the Auditorium of City Hall and occupied it.

The Aboriginal flag was strung over the podium and we engaged in a peaceful but uncompromising sit­-in demanding the media's presence to cover our resistance to what is happening in W.A.

About 50­70 of us managed to occupy before the police blocked the entrance. The police spoke over a megaphone to us telling us that they had been given the authority to make arrests but they didn't want it to come to that. They did however threaten to arrest other protesters who were trying to get in to join our ranks.

We waited for over an hour for Channel 7 to arrive and a couple of Elders spoke to them. Brisbane City Hall is a civic building that holds political and cultural significance and represents European colonial rule and This was a symbolic and successful protest.

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