World News joined 1

[Black Widow]

Australian victims of church sex abuse have attacked a new law preventing people from "annoying" Catholics, on the grounds that it limits their right to legitimate peaceful protest.

Civil libertarians are fighting to have the measures - introduced to stop activists "inconveniencing" pilgrims during Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Sydney - scrapped.

They said the laws mean that people wearing T-shirts with slogans deemed inappropriate could face fines of up to £2500.

Under the new laws, police will be able to stop behaviour that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants" in World Youth Day, which is the focus of the pope's visit.

Two members of protest group NoToPope went to the Federal Court in an attempt to have the laws overturned.

NoToPope member Rachel Evans said her group objected to the fact that they faced criminal sanctions for handing out condoms to World Youth Day pilgrims.

"These laws are very draconian and we have the right to protest and say our piece," she told reporters outside the court.

One of the judges hearing the case, Catherine Branson, said the concept of annoyance was subjective.

"It's the subjective element that, can I say for myself, I find most troubling," she told the court.

"There's a risk of public life in Sydney becoming extraordinarily bland over a period of weeks because of the force of this."

Meanwhile one of Australia's largest sexual health groups said it would provide free condoms to pilgrims through its four Sydney healthcare centres.

Jill Michelson of Marie Stopes International said: "The simple fact is that many young people - including Catholics - have sex.

"When young people get together to celebrate and the euphoria is high, sexual activity can occur.

"To not provide access to condoms to those that choose to engage in sexual activity is simply encouraging unprotected sex, sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancy."

Michelson said that to avoid breaching the annoyance laws her organisation would not hand out condoms at World Youth Day venues, unlike the NoToPope coalition.


sky news

[JohnCenaFan28]

Thanks for the news.