Western Australia police have banned at least 12 activists from entering a security zone around the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre ahead of the Land Forces weapons expo, scheduled to begin 6 October. Activists and a Greens MP have announced plans to challenge the ban in court.
The police acted under new powers granted by the WA government last month. Anyone who violates an exclusion order faces a maximum fine of $36,000 and three years in prison, according to the state's laws.
The security zone encompasses the area surrounding the venue where the Land Forces weapons expo will be held. The bans target people the police consider potential disruptors to the event.
The activists and the Greens MP view the exclusion orders as an infringement on the right to protest and have signaled legal action to contest them. The dispute reflects a broader tension between security protocols for major events and civil liberties protections for demonstration and assembly.