Declaration of our Right to Protest
The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right that allows us to express our views, shape our societies, and press for social change. Participating in protest is a way for any one of us to have our voices heard and be active in political debate, no matter our bank balance or political connections.
Australia has a long and proud history of protest leading to significant changes – like the eight hour working day, women’s right to vote, the apology to the Stolen Generations, the advancement of LGBTIQ+ rights, and the protection of precious environmental wonders.
All Australian governments have an obligation to guarantee our right to protest and to protect protesters. In recent years, we’ve seen this right gradually eroded with regressive anti-protest laws passed by states and an increase in anti-protest policing.
The Declaration of our Right to Protest asserts the fundamental right to protest and outlines the standards that all government agencies must uphold. The Declaration is grounded in human rights law and was produced by the Human Rights Law Centre, with support from the Australian Democracy Network and in collaboration with grassroots activists and experts across the continent.
The Declaration has been endorsed by over 120 civil society organisations including the Australian Council of Social Services, Greenpeace Australia, and Amnesty International Australia. See the full list of endorsing organisations below.
Support the Declaration
The right to peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right that allows us to express our views, shape our societies, and press for social change. Participating in protest is a way for any one of us to have our voices heard and be active in political debate, no matter our bank balance or political connections.
Individuals can show their support by signing the petition below. Civil society organisations are invited to endorse the declaration via this form.
TO: All Australian state, territory and federal governments and government agencies
We the undersigned express our commitment to the fundamental democratic right to protest. We support the Declaration of the Right to Protest and the safeguards listed within.
We call on you to protect protest by:
Upholding the 10 principles in the Declaration
Refusing to pass any further anti-protest legislation, and winding back existing anti-protest laws
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Organisations that endorse the Declaration
350.org Australia
Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia Limited
ACTCOSS
ActionAid Australia
Aid/Watch
Amnesty International Margaret River Group
Amnesty International Australia
Animal Liberation NSW
Animal Liberation Queensland
Animals Australia
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Asylum Seekers Centre NSW
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Australia Palestine Advocacy Network
Australian Alliance for Animals
Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility
Australian Centre for International Justice
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Council of Social Service
Australian Democracy Network
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Australian Muslim Advocacy Network
Australian National Development Index
Australian Services Union NSW ACT Services Branch
Australian Services Union SA+NT Branch
Australian Services Union Victoria
Be Slavery Free
Bob Brown Foundation
Campaign for International Cooperation and Disarmament
Caxton Community Legal Centre
Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University
Centre for Innovative Justice
Chuffed.org
Citizens for a Liveable Melbourne
Climate Action Burwood/Canada Bay
Climate Action Network Australia
Climate Justice Union
Community Legal Centres Australia
Community Legal Centres NSW
Community Legal Centres Queensland
Community Legal WA
Conservation Council of SA
Conservation Council of WA
CounterAct
Democracy Matters
Digital Rights Watch
Disrupt Burrup Hub
Environment Council of Central Queensland
Environment Victoria
Environmental Defenders Office
Environmental Justice Australia
Equality Australia
Extinction Rebellion ACT
Extinction Rebellion Australia
Extinction Rebellion NSW
Extinction Rebellion Queensland
Extinction Rebellion South Australia
Extinction Rebellion Tasmania
Extinction Rebellion Western Australia Federation of Community Legal Centres
Flat Out Inc
Friends of the Earth Australia
Grata Fund Greenpeace Australia Pacific
Human Rights Law Centre
Human Rights Watch
Humanists Victoria
Illawarra Legal Centre
Inner City Legal Centre
International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Australia)
Islamic Friendship Association of Australia Inc
Knowmore
Koala Action Inc
Liberty Victoria
Lock The Gate Alliance
Mackay Conservation Group
Mannifera
March4Justice Australia
Margaret River Regional Environment Centre
Marrickville Peace Group
Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia)
Melbourne Unitarian Peace Memorial Church
Monash University Climate Justice Clinic
MoretonCAN
National Justice Project
NSW Council for Civil Liberties
Parents for Climate Pax Christi Vic.
Peacifica Peoples Climate Assembly
Peoples Health Movement Australia
Public Health Association of Australia
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Queensland Conservation Council
Queensland Council for Civil Liberties
Queensland Regional Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
Redfern Legal Centre
Rights Advocacy Project
Rights Resource Network SA
Rising Tide
SCALES Community Legal Centre
Sisters Inside
South Australian Abortion Action Coalition
South Australian Council of Social Service
South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance Inc
Stop Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Tasmanian Council of Social Service
The Australia Institute
The Green Institute
The Nature Conservation Council of NSW
The Wilderness Society Tasmania
Tomorrow Movement
University of Melbourne Student Union
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service
Victorian Forest Alliance
WA Forest Alliance
WA Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies
Wage Peace
West Australian Council of Social Service
Westside Community Lawyers
Whitsunday Conservation Council
WIRE World Animal Protection
Young Labor Left
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