Political ban halts planned church march

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 11

Political ban halts planned church march

N'ZPA-Reuter Brisbane The annual Palm Sunday religious procession through Brisbane streets will not be heid this year as a result of the Queensland Government’s: ban on political marches The assistant Anglican Bishop of Brisbane (Bishop Wicks) said that the: heads of most churches had decided not to apply for a permit to march. Bishop Wicks, head of the organising committee, said in! view of the present contro-j versy concerning street marches, committee members had decided they did not want to march. Palm Sunday is celebrated each year on the Sunday before Easter to commemorate

Jesus’s triumphant entry into, Jerusalem when people laid palm leaves at his feet. "As Christians, we did not’ want to appear specially favoured against people wanting] to hold processions for other reasons,” Bishop Wicks said. He said he felt sure an application to hold a procession would have been! granted. “We were not able to con-i tact all Church leaders, but the decision was unanimous; among those we did ask.’’; ■ Bishop Wicks said. Eight persons out of 50 ar-i rested at a civil liberties demonstration in Brisbane on, Saturdav remained in police) custody yesterday because; they refused to put up bail; money.

>, The police yesterday denied l a claim by a university lecturer, Mr D. O’Neill, one of tithe organisers of the right- ■ to-march demonstration, that; [jthose who stayed in custody - were on a hunger strike. Mr O’Neill said the hunger i strike was a protest against . magistrates ordering that; i fines be paid out of bail; • money at previous demon-! • istrations. The police arrested 14 per-' ; i sons in the north-west! ’; Queensland mining city of 1 Mount Isa and eight at Too•Iwoomba, on southern • Queensland’s Darling Downs, i,in similar marches on Satur■iday. >; Those arrested are due to I appear in Magistrate’s Courts today.