Town Hall protests potentially banned

The Anglican Diocese of Sydney’s decision to review the conditions for allowing protests in Town Hall Square is puzzling activists and has fuelled outrage at the possibility all protests will be banned.

While initial reports suggested the International Women’s Day march would be prevented from operating on the site a spokesman for the church said these reports were incorrect.

“The church, like the council, has always had the choice to allow or not allow protests on its land,” Russell Powell said.

“The council itself has, on some occasions, asked protestors to move elsewhere. So has the Church.”

The move has angered City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney who described it as “selfish and potentially suspicious”.

While many may assume the square, which is located between Sydney Town Hall and St Andrews Cathedral, is public land it has recently emerged that the majority of it is owned by the church – with only a small strip on the northern side belonging to Council.

Clr Doutney said the church was acting like a political censor trying to exclude protestors.

“For all intents and purposes it is a public square that hundreds of people walk through and sit in everyday,” she said.

“I’m not aware of any of the many protests that take place there causing problems for the church.”

She questioned if the move was the result of ideological opposition by the church to some of the causes supported in rallies.

“The Anglican Church feels that women should be subservient to men and therefore wouldn’t support rallies for women’s empowerment.,” she said.

“I wonder if discomfort over many of the other causes championed by rallies in the square, such as marriage equality and freedom from censorship, that is to blame for their blanket ban.”

But Mr Powell said the review was aimed at security and safety and wasn’t aimed at any particular ideology.

Cr Doutney said that the square was the political heart of Sydney and that there were few other suitable venues for large rallies.

“It would be highly inconvenient if the demonstrations had to be held on Town Hall steps. It would cause people to overflow onto George St but what alternatives are left? Town Hall has historically been the people’s meeting place and should remain so.”

“What’s going to happen next? Are they going to fence off the whole square? How would the church feel if the City were to start excluding the students from St Andrews School, who make abundant use of the whole square during their lunchtimes, from our portions of the square?