2 more go to jail for anti-war beliefs

[jonoboy]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8535014%255E1702,00.html

Opera House painters get detention

January 30, 2004
TWO peace activists who painted No War on the Sydney Opera House were today sentenced to nine months periodic detention.

David Burgess, 33, and Will Saunders, 42, were convicted late last year of malicious damage after painting No War on the tallest sail of the Opera House on March 18, 2003.

NSW District Court Judge Anthony Blackmore today sentenced the pair to nine months weekend jail and ordered they jointly pay $111,000 compensation to the Sydney Opera House Trust

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Meanwhile Tony Blair & Australian PM John Howard get their priorities right..they both want an apology for hurt feelings after the Hutton Report, after going to war in which 1000's have died

[EllieDem]

1. Sounds like they went to jail

for defacing public property.....am I missing something??

[jonoboy]

2. no, the judge said sentences given for similar crimes were much smaller

but went on to make unnecssary comments on the subject matter of their graffiti.

you may as well say D.Elsberg was just a burglar !
or Rachel Corrie was a trespasser

9 months periodic detention $110,000 fine, another $50,000 legal expenses, students with a criminal record for their beliefs....
yeh?, think you are missing something.

[leanings]

3. "students with a criminal record for their beliefs"

David Burgess, 33, and Will Saunders, 42...poor kids.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. Weekend detention? They need Rene Rivkin!

I'm sure he can give them some tips on getting a medical certificate to get out of it ;)

A fine's fair enough, but weekend detention? That's too much. Personally I thought the Opera House looked better than it had for years..

John Howard's had a busy week, what with demanding an apology, studiously ignoring Mark Latham, and slagging off the public school system...

Violet...