Beijing Olympic torch relay
Media Conference, ACT Legislative Assembly
ACT Deputy Chief Police Officer Commander Shane Connelly
and
ACT Attorney General Simon Corbell
16 April 2008 (1100 hrs)
Simon Corbell: The ACT government has announced that we are providing additional powers to ACT Policing to assist them with the safe and peaceful conduct of the Olympic torch relay. These powers are granted under the Major Events Security Act, and basically they're the sort of powers that are available to police and security at other major events interstate. So if you were to go along to a football match at the MCG or a one-day cricket match or a Test match, the sorts of powers that police would have available to them at those events; to search for certain items and to seize those items to make sure that they are not used to disrupt the event. So they are items that could be used as projectiles, flares, fireworks, all of those sorts of thing that we really just don't want to see at this type of event in the same way that we wouldn't want to see them at a cricket match or a rugby league match. So those are the powers that police are being granted to them by the government for the duration of the torch relay, and we're very hopeful that the torch relay will be conducted in a peaceful way, people will be able to demonstrate as they feel is appropriate, as long as it is peaceful. We have every confidence in all of the planning to date that that will be the course of events. But police planning continues and we're confident that every contingency is being regarded. With that, I'm happy to answer your questions as is Commander Connelly who's in charge of the police operation.
Journalist: Were these powers part of the ACT's original plan for this event?
Simon Corbell: It was always a possibility that these powers would be exercised, and it's on the recommendation of police that the government has chosen to exercise these.
Journalist: Is that in response to the changing and critically escalating security threats?
Simon Corbell: I think it was always likely given the experience in the London, Paris and other capitals that these types of powers would be granted to police. And again it's the sort of power that is available to police and to other security personnel at other major events interstate. If you go along to a one-day cricket match, if you go along to a Test match this is the type of power that's available just to make sure that an event is conducted safely and this event is clearly a major event for Canberra.
Journalist: There's been a predicted route published in the newspaper here today, does that jeopardise security in any way and are you concerned about that?
Simon Corbell: I might ask the Commander to deal with that question.
Shane Connelly: There is a projected route published today. I won't comment on the accuracy of nor the veracity of that. What I will say is the route will be published; I understand it will be published next Monday, and I believe it will be provided to media outlets so that media outlets have it for next Monday. It doesn't effect the security because the streets involved are out there, but what I will say is that the route is still subject to change. We don't want to change the route, but it is a possibility in the event of major protests that that may occur.
Reporter: How would you change it though if the exclusion zones as I understand it have to published seven days in advance, how would you change the route if they're outside the exclusion zones?
Shane Connelly: I won't go into the tactics of how we would change the route other than that we will respect the exclusion zones and if we went outside of the exclusion zones we wouldn't have those powers.
Reporter: So people turning up on the day, what will they be subject to, like how will these powers impact?
Shane Connelly: For the Mums and Dads that are going to come to this event it won't be impacting on them at all. We'll be using our discretion in relation to how we utilise those powers as we always do. It really is for people who are intent – and we hope there'll be no one – on violent activity, but for those people who we believe or suspect are going to partake in that activity; we will be taking those powers if necessary. I really draw everyone's attention to the disruption effects that the powers are largely about; it's so that this event is not disrupted. Whilst we respect people's right of free protest and we will encourage that – it's a democracy, we also respect the right of freedom of movement – it's part of the ACT's laws in terms of our Human Rights Act, and these torch bearers have a right of freedom of movement throughout the city with this torch. They have a right not to be assaulted, not to be accosted, so we will be enforcing that.
Journalist: When these waves of Chinese protestors come down, descending on the city on the day, will police be undermanned, will they be embarrassed by this?
Shane Connelly: No, we won't be embarrassed and we will talk to any group be they Chinese supporters or Tibetan supporters.
Journalist: How many police will you have on the scene there just in case to match these thousands of protestors coming?
Shane Connelly: Well, they've projected thousands as been reported in the media; we'll have the appropriate number of police to . . .
Journalist: [interrupts] since there's thousands of protestors coming . . .
Shane Connelly: All I'll say to that is that there'll be appropriate numbers of police to respond to the situation.
Journalist: Commander, where will you be sourcing the officers you need for this event?
Shane Connelly: We've sourced the officers from both within ACT Policing and from the Australian Federal Police. We are, of course, a business unit of the Australian Federal Police so we're utilising Australian Federal Police resources both located here in ACT and other parts of Australia. We're using specialist capabilities and we're using general policing capabilities. I should also say, we're also using our international network to provide us with intelligence in real time as to what's going on in other parts of the world so that we're prepared and so that we can change our tactics.
Simon Corbell: I think it's very important to stress that this event is an opportunity to showcase Canberra, to highlight Canberra as a really beautiful and fantastic place, and we want to make sure that the event is able to be conducted safely, but we also want to stress that we believe, overwhelmingly, that people who are coming to participate in the relay, either as observers or as protestors, will do so peacefully, and certainly every effort is being made by the police and the government to make sure that that is the case and the feedback overwhelmingly is very positive; we're very hopeful that we see a peaceful event, and one where all views can be expressed safely, peacefully and non-violently.
Journalist: When did you decide it was necessary to enact these special powers?
Simon Corbell: The police made the recommendation to me last week, and I've considered that and made the declaration yesterday along with the Chief Minister. That's based on the police's assessment and again, and I have to stress, it's the same sorts of arrangements that were in place for Olympic events that took place here in Canberra as part of the Sydney Olympics, and the same sorts of arrangements that were in place at the Rugby World Cup events that also occurred here in Canberra. So they're not exceptional in that regard, but they are important when we're talking about large-scale events which have a strong international focus and clearly this event has both of those things.
Journalist: Commander Connelly, can you confirm that bottles of water etcetera aren't allowed to be brought in?
Shane Connelly: People can have drinking water, there's no problems with that. I mean Canberra can be quite a hot city even in autumn. There's no problem with that. What we're looking for are specific items that could be used as weapons, for instance paintballs, also fire extinguishers are another one that people won't be able to carry around, and the general public does not carry a fire extinguisher around with them, so I think we're on fairly safe ground there. We just don't want things that could be used to assault people during the relay. I reinforce: this is about freedom of movement as much as it is about freedom to demonstrate.
Journalist: In your press release you've got, any other material contained in a receptacle that is likely to be used a fire retardant, that includes water bottles.
Simon Corbell: It's an issue of discretion; the police have to use common sense as they do with all of their policing duties day-to-day. Clearly someone who's carrying a bottle of water for a drink is very different to someone who's carrying a big bucket of water or a fire extinguisher or something else which is clearly going to be used other than to have a drink, so it's about discretion and it's about making sure that the police can use their powers proactively to try and prevent an event before it occurs. We'd much rather see the police to be proactive, be on top of the situation rather than have to react if something goes wrong, and that's really what these powers are about.
Journalist: So do you plan to search everybody or how do you plan to do this?
Simon Corbell: No, it's not about searching everybody; it's about police having the power to do so, should it be necessary. So it's a matter of discretion for police. The area is long, it's spread out, it's not possible to cover all the approaches, but it simply gives police the ability, if they believe it's necessary, to prevent those items from being brought into the area of the torch relay.
Journalist: So will we see police officers running along the side, like in ranks, either side of the torch relay.
Shane Connelly: I've been very cautious not to show what we are going to do in terms of security. Obviously the security of the torch and of the runner, protecting them from assault, is critical. So you will see police in that immediate facility and surrounding the torch quite well. I won't go into specifics of that, I think that will be clear on the day.
Journalist: You are obviously worried about trouble, how much trouble are you expecting?
Shane Connelly: Look, we are concerned about trouble, as we are with any event, but in any event we always plan for that, we go from the best case scenario to the worst case scenario. And what we would say, is that Australia is a very different place than other parts of the world, and we've had a lot of very successful and peaceful demonstrations in Canberra and we'd encourage that we'll use all our techniques to continue to encourage that. That said, if people break the law, if people assault runners or attempt to stop runners, stop their freedom of movement, we will enforce the law and it doesn’t matter which group they are from, if they do that, then that will be the consequence.
Journalist: Do you expect clashes between the two rival groups, pro-Chinese and Tibetans?
Shane Connelly: In answer to that, we're not expecting clashes. Those clashes are possible. We would again be encouraging the groups to respect each other's right to say what they wish to say and we'll be working with them and encouraging them to go to certain places along the route so that they can exercise their right. In saying that, there's areas we would like to see them away from, particularly Anzac Parade and the Australian War Memorial. This is the day before Anzac Day which is a very important day for Australians so we'd like to see them respect that. Reconciliation Place is another important place for us all, as I understand there are indigenous elders who will be doing the ceremony at the start of this event. I think we should respect those indigenous Australians to complete their ceremony as they should be allowed to.
Journalist: Have you been approached by veteran groups who are concerned about the fact that it's so close to Anzac Day and really should've been another date?
Simon Corbell: Government organisers are aware of that issue, the timing of the torch relay I think has been planned many months in advance, it has been, it is part of an international sequence of events, so our ability to influence that has been very limited, but as [inaudible] is to encourage people as much as possible to [inaudible] the War Memorial has a particular status at this time of the year and that should be respected, and certainly the police will be very proactive in encouraging people to have regard to that.
Journalist: How much is this high-security operation going to cost?
Simon Corbell: That's still to be determined. At this stage the ACT Policing as part of the AFP are working within the budget they're given by the ACT Government, but as the Chief Minister has indicated, any significant increase in costs will be the subject of discussions between ourselves and the Commonwealth government.
Journalist: Do you have ballpark figures?
Simon Corbell: Not at this stage.
Journalist: Does the ACT Police have estimates of the number of Chinese students expected to descend on Canberra at this stage, to come and support the Olympic torch?
Shane Connelly: We have estimates only in terms of what we've been provided though intelligence, but we've also had very grand statements made by various groups. And quite often before any demonstration you'll have statements made that have very high figures. What we see on the ground quite often are figures very different from that. But that said, anyone, it doesn't matter where they're from, has a right to come to Canberra to see this great event and if they wish to, to exercise their right to make a statement politically or otherwise.
Journalist: I was told yesterday by one of the student organisations that around 3000 Chinese students were planning on turning up from Sydney and Melbourne and Brisbane and as far as New Zealand and Perth, is that in accordance with your intelligence estimates?
Shane Connelly: I won't comment on our intelligence estimates, what I would say is that if 3000 Chinese students turn up here in ACT, we'll welcome them like we welcome any other tourist coming to the city to see this great event.
Journalist: Will your show of force overshadow this for the public; can't they just come and enjoy it? Is there going to be more police than people here?
Shane Connelly: No, there won't be more police than people. And we would really hope that we can minimise our use of force options. That said, obviously if there is attempts to assault the runner or to take the torch or extinguish the torch we will have the use-of-force and that would be very unfortunate. I don't think that would serve anyone's purpose in terms of them exercising their right to say what they need to say about their particular cause or issue.
Journalist: So you plan to try to herd the protestors to particular areas to keep them contained?
Shane Connelly: Herding's a fairly harsh word. We certainly encourage them to go to certain spots. There's places that would give them a good vantage point for the event and let them have their say. We would encourage that, we always do. That's a normal process in terms of organising protest activity, and generally speaking, protest groups are very good at doing that themselves, quite often they self-regulate and would like to know where they should go.
Journalist: What's the working relationship between the AFP and Chinese officers to date?
Shane Connelly: Look, there's been a lot of talk about these "flame attendants" and they have a very practical ceremonial role in terms of the torch and that is the role, and that is their only role. They're obviously a convoy that goes with the relay as you would expect, and the working relationship through the Chief Ministers Department working group on this has been very good. We negotiate with the various people involved in this, but clearly we make our stance, as has always been the case, that security for this event is with ACT Policing.
Journalist: When was the decision made to restrict the flame attendants to the bus, as opposed to running beside the torch as we've seen in other cities?
Shane Connelly: Well, again, there's been a lot of talk about the flame attendants. There is a number of flame attendants who will have a role in relation to the flame; they have to light the thing and they have to extinguish the old flame, so they won't be in the bus, they will be out running in certain areas along the way. But there'll only be a very small number of those and they will be performing their duties and when they're not required for those duties, they will be withdrawn from those duties.
Journalist: So did you say they won't be in the bus?
Shane Connelly: No, not at certain parts of the event. They need to come out of the bus to light the torch; it's a leap-frog type of event, so they can't do that within the bus.
Journalist: So, just to clarify there'll be two as I understand it, flame attendants?
Shane Connelly: There'll be two flame attendants running, that will be doing duties, there'll be another one that will also be performing duties, but that person won't be running. It's a leap-frog type of event, so they have to get ahead, alight, be prepared, the torch has to be lit [and] so they have to perform the logistics duty involved in that. That's their only duty, they have no security duty.
Journalist: So just tell me, how many exactly are there going to be, two or three or I'm not quite sure?
Shane Connelly: There are two flame attendants, that will be running at certain stages in relation to events and there is a third attendant who will be completing preparations in advance. Those are the only ones that will be on the ground.
Journalist: And did the original plan in terms of the flame attendants and security, did the original plan allow for vastly more flame attendants as we saw in Paris and London?
Shane Connelly: No, the original plan was always for the flame attendants, only having the flame attendants required to do their duties and how it got to that in Paris and London is a matter for other authorities to comment on, not ours. It has always been the plan for ACT Policing to be totally responsible for security, that has never wavered, that has been the case for nine months.
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