Protest cuts off island
PROTESTERS blocked access to Queenscliff’s Swan Island military base yesterday as part of an anti-war demonstration.
The Swan Island Peace Convergence, which has taken action at the base every year since 2010, started forming its human blockade at the gate on Bridge Rd at 6am on Monday.
The protest of about 10 people coincides with action being taken at the US military intelligence facility at Pine Gap, outside Alice Springs.
Group member Sam Quinlan said he hoped the demonstration would put a spotlight on the facilities and encourage people to question the nature of Australia’s alliances.
“We’ve got a military alliance with the US and we keep kind of mindlessly following them into wars,” Mr Quinlan said.
“We see this base as having a very strategic and significant (role in) . . . tax money spending and national identity — what we are trying to do is disrupt it in anyway we can.”
He said the ongoing action was already considered a success, given it resulted in a lock down of the facility.
“They’re not letting any cars in for people to get to work and go on with business as usual, which is training to kill people in what we think is very shady and secretive cir- cumstances,” Mr Quinlan said.
But a frustrated Queenscliff Golf Club member said the club, which is also on Swan Island, was unfairly disadvantaged by the protests.
“I agree with their right to demonstrate and with the cause they’re demonstrating for, but I think they are targeting the wrong place,” she said.
“The only place and people they are hurting with their protest is the golf club members of a struggling club.”
The golfer said the action prevented the club making its usual school holiday takings in green fees.
Bellarine Peninsula police station commander Shane Madigan said the force had planned for the activist group’s annual visit.
“We’ve got members patrolling the external perimeter of the island to ensure there is no breach of peace or entry to the island,” Senior Sergeant Madigan said.
“There are members working inside to assist the Swan Island defence as well, and we’ve also got water police patrolling the surrounds.”
Asked if the police presence was out of proportion to the number of protesters, he said protests were unpredictable.
“We’re unsure of their numbers, their numbers could possibly swell during the week due to weather and we’re just ensuring the security of the facility is maintained,” he said.