Activate is an anarchist magazine for teenagers. We have been giving copies out in the suburbs of Sydney to try and spread our ideas. We have received legal advice nothing in the magazine goes against any law. Besides this, we believe we have the right to state our ideas.
At Penrith, a local train station, three police officers turned up when we were giving them out. They interrogated one teenager for the 'crime' of having been given a copy of Activate. They also illegally confescated his copy.
At Liverpool station, another three police officers turned up. They blocked the entrance to the station, and interrogated every teenager that tried to go into the station.
At Parramatta, another six police officers came. They told us to stop giving Activate out and leave, or we'd be arrested!
Again, according to our legal advice Activate is perfectly legal. According to the law, we should have the right to spread our ideas. But the powers that be don't recognise their own laws if it's inconvenient for them.
It's worth noting that the Australian government are hypocrites. Anarchists, along with lots of other people, protested against a racist politician called Pauline Hanson. The Australian government criticised the protestors - they accused us of being against freedom of speech!
More important than the law, we belive we have the right to free speech. We have continued to distribute Activate, and we will do so whatever the government says. We are asking for your support. Firstly, PLEASE COPY AND FORWARD THIS PAGE TO AS MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN FREE SPEECH AS YOU CAN. You could also print it out for people who aren't on the net. If you can put this in any magazines etc, please do. Also, we are happy to be interviewed (live or by email) for any magazine or program. Finally, you might want to buy a copy of Activate. Activate is non-profit and not funded by any organisation - in fact some people paid $100 to print the first issue.
We can be contacted at copsaretops@hotmail.com . Our mail address is Activate, PO Box 503, Newtown NSW 2042, Australia. Activate costs 80c to mail order in Australia, $2 in New Zealand, $2.50 US or equivalent in the Americas, or 3 British pounds or equivalent elsewhere.
We are currently setting up a web page. Contact us and we'll send you the URL when it's ready.