What are your thoughts on this? I think I’m somewhat on the fence. I firmly believe in the right to protest and that the only effective protests are those that are truly disruptive, but I can also understand the argument that people have the right to feel safe in their homes. Protest rights have been slowly eroded over time in most Australian jurisdictions and so an act like this is sometimes what’s needed to affect change. There’s also the point to be made that the harm that people cause through business decisions doesn’t end at 5PM on a weekday, and we should have the right to protest individuals and their specific actions as well as the companies that they represent.
Thoughts?
I’m not comfortable with the actions targeting someone at their home. Maybe if they just stood in the street and held signs? But they never had any intention of doing that. I’m picturing protesters turning up at my place and terrorising my family. My kids wouldn’t understand why strangers were yelling outside and attacking the house.
The office is fair game. But the collateral damage risk for residential protests is too high. Even if the target lives alone, you don’t know who is living next door to your target and their emotional state.