National protest on Biker laws

Queensland’s draconian anti biker laws have come under the spotlight today with thousands of recreational bikers, civil libertarians, and others protesting around the nation.

The largest was in Brisbane outside parliament house with over 2,000 people present to express their outrage at the VLAD Act, which has effectively marginalized and in some cases outlawed riding in company.

The Queensland organizer was Gabriel Buckley from the Liberal Democrats, who have consistently opposed laws which unfairly single out groups for prosecution for who they are, rather than on the basis of wrongdoing: 

RECREATIONAL motorcyclists are protesting across Australia on Sunday to show solidarity against Queensland's tough new anti-bikie laws. 

Queensland organiser Gabriel Buckley says the new laws, aimed at criminal bikie gangs, have resulted in the harassment of law-abiding motorcyclists. Mr Buckley said a primary concern was that the laws reversed the onus on proof for people accused of links to prescribed criminal gangs. 

"Some people are being pulled over three times on their way to work,'' he told AAP. "You can imagine why these guys are getting impatient with the government.”

Premier Campbell Newman on the other hand claims that the laws only target criminal gangs and offers the platitude that law abiding bikers have nothing to fear and should be patient as they are pulled over for unreasonable searches and aggressive questioning by police.