Protest Erupts During Chinese Official's Sanctuary Visit
An anti-China activist was asked to leave Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane over the weekend after attempting to stage a protest during a visit by China's third-highest-ranking official, Chairman Zhao Leji. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Fig Tree Pocket sanctuary during Zhao's four-day high-level visit to Australia.
Activist Drew Pavlou claimed the Chinese embassy had organised the event, bringing in busloads of government supporters to greet Chairman Zhao. "I thought somebody had to do a small protest," Pavlou told Sky News, explaining his motivation for the demonstration.
Confrontation With Police Over Protest Sign
Pavlou arrived armed with a sign reading: 'Gold Coast luxury condos for sale. Xi is very angry with you. Defect now while you still can.' The unusual message immediately drew police attention, with officers approaching him to question its meaning.
The situation became more complex when Chinese Police Liaison Officers became involved. Pavlou described these officers as "members of the community deputised by Queensland Police to uphold multiculturalism" and expressed concern that they were assessing whether his sign would be considered disrespectful to CCP leadership.
"Honestly, it made me think: what country am I even living in? I felt like I was under foreign occupation," Pavlou stated, highlighting the tension between free speech rights and diplomatic protocols.
Escalation and Removal From Sanctuary
After discussions, police ultimately granted Pavlou permission to keep his sign but restricted him to an area behind supporters. "This part here is restricted for supporters," an officer informed him, to which Pavlou responded: "That's pretty unfair. At that point, I may as well protest on the river down there."
Undeterred by the restrictions, when Chairman Zhao arrived, Pavlou climbed onto a bench and shouted: "Mr Leji, we support you! Mr Leji, defect now before Xi comes!" Supporters waving large Chinese flags moved to block his view, and a police officer then grabbed Pavlou by the pants and escorted him back to his car.
Pavlou was informed he had not followed instructions and was on private property. He later expressed his frustration, stating: "This is Australia, this is Brisbane. I thought I'd be able to exercise my right to speak freely as an Australian citizen - and strangely enough, these police liaison officers are trying to jostle me away to protect the honour of a visiting communist functionary."
Queensland Police have been contacted for comment regarding the incident that has sparked debate about free speech rights during diplomatic visits and the role of police liaison officers in managing protests.
