BY GRANT COLEMAN
PERTH — May 1 will be remembered for two connected reasons: it was the first sitting of parliament under Geoff Gallop's new Labor state government, and it was the day of one of the most violent police operations against protesters in Western Australia's history.
The M1 blockade of the Perth stock exchange began peacefully enough: with a heated argument between the 70 early arrivals and 20 Young Liberals holding a banner which read "Free trade is fair trade". The counter-demonstrators were soon forced to leave the area.
From there, the blockade swelled to up to 500 people and lasted for five hours — and was continually charged by police in an attempt to break the resolve of the blockaders.
Though the M1 Alliance had held talks with police prior to the day and had received permission for the protest, police had no intention of keeping their side of the bargain.
Within minutes of the blockade starting, it became obvious that neither the management of Exchange Plaza nor the police had informed many employees that the protest was happening.
Both plaza management and police commanders were aware that a service entrance at the rear of the building was not being blockaded. But rather than direct staff to it, police instead actively encouraged employees to take the plunge and try to get through blockade lines, even at the risk of injury and even if it meant scaling a two-metre high wall and walking through a fountain.
Police refused all offers to negotiate and were determined to use any force to break the blockade. Eight people were arrested for "disorderly conduct".
In the day's worst assault, authorities hemmed some 30 blockaders into a six-metre wide alley. Riot police with shields then attacked from behind while six mounted police attacked from the front.
With nowhere to go, all the protesters could do was to bravely hold firm. Though the blockaders were hit hard and many were injured (although, miraculously, none seriously), they managed to hold the line and the police horses where forced to retreat.
On other blockade points the police many times lunged at protest lines without warning. On one occasion, a protester who had fallen backwards was only saved from serious head and neck injuries by the quick action of those around her.
Not only did constant police pressure fail to force protesters to end their blockade, it wasn't even successful in suppressing the collective, even festive, spirit.
Throughout the day, environmental and Third World solidarity activists played music and performed street theatre. A soup kitchen provided much needed refreshments.
Veteran Aboriginal activist Clarrie Isaacs, University of Western Australia Refugee Action Network activist Sarah Mills, Socialist Alliance member Sarah Harris and other union and solidarity activists all spoke from the stage about why they were protesting.
When the blockaders marched on state parliament in the afternoon, they were also joined by Greens MPs who had been ensconced in the opening session of parliament in the morning. On May 2, Greens MP Christine Sharp asked questions of the Labor police minister about police's actions against M1 blockaders.
While Unions WA had endorsed the protest and many individual unionists attended, only the State School Teachers Union flew its flags above the blockade. Other unions were non-committal or even hostile, with many union officials, such as the Maritime Union of Australia's Wally Pritchard, refusing invitations to speak.
Follow-up meetings have been organised to discuss legal costs for those arrested and to plan further activities.
[Grant Coleman was a marshal at M1 in Perth.]