Protesters should pay their way

THE appalling and eye-watering amount of money spent on police and courts to keep protest rallies off the streets alludes to our control system being outdated.

Valuable police and court resources could be further put to more urgent and necessary use.

The fact that a court order has to be secured to stop the useless, unwanted and unnecessary proposed blockades of public thoroughfares is due for a massive overhaul.

Legislation has to be introduced to automatically make these arrangements a criminal offence, by making it law that in the event of a pandemic interrupting the daily commute of the public or inconveniencing any citizens in their daily routine are not permitted.

Streets, highways, bridges, railway lines and footpaths should not be used for protests of any type, but the use of public parks and free areas could be allowed in any other event other than those prescribed.

Also a refundable fee to cover the cost of police attendance should be paid upfront a week before the protest.

That should be the contribution for using public resources for minority or other grievances to be held which cost the public purse dearly.

We have to pay to use the roads, water and any other public infrastructure, so why do these people escape payment?

Jim Stanfield, Boonah