A man facing charges for displaying a message deemed illegal under Queensland’s hate speech legislation has informed a Brisbane court of his intention to plead insanity, arguing that he finds the charges themselves to be “insane.”
Jim Dowling, aged 70, was charged after he exhibited a banner reading “From the River to the Sea, Brisbane will be free of Boeing” outside the aerospace company’s headquarters in Brisbane last March.
The court proceedings have been postponed until later this month.
Dowling, who is also known as James Joseph Dowling, faces a single count of publicly displaying an expression that is prohibited under the new laws. He participated in a protest against Boeing, a manufacturer of military equipment that is supplied to Israel.
His banner, which included the phrase “From the river to the sea,” has been classified as illegal by the Queensland government when it is presented in a manner that intimidates, harasses, or offends anyone in the public.
The state government and various Jewish organizations have labeled the phrase as antisemitic.
During a hearing at Brisbane Arrest Court, Magistrate Belinda Merrin queried Dowling on how he wished to proceed with his case. Dowling replied, “I’d like to plead insanity, I think the charge is insane and anyone who takes it seriously is a bit suss as well.”
Magistrate Merrin acknowledged his request but indicated that he would need to provide evidence to substantiate his claim. “Generally, you will need a psychiatrist’s report; do you have plans for that?” she asked. Dowling responded, “It’s not that I’m insane, it’s that I think the law is insane.”
Magistrate Merrin confirmed that he was contesting the charge.
Following the court appearance, Dowling received support from a group of individuals holding pro-Palestinian signs. He stated outside the court, “I’m not here to win any court case; I’m here to expose Boeing, who we were protesting when I was arrested for holding a simple sign that said, ‘From the river to the sea, Brisbane will be free of Boeing.’” He emphasized that his message had nothing to do with other political issues, adding, “We will see what happens.”
The anti-war activist, who intends to represent himself in court, expressed that he is not worried about the possibility of serving time, as the charges could result in a maximum sentence of two years. “I think the majority of people in this country would agree with me that the law is crazy; to imprison someone for pointing that out would be totally absurd,” he commented outside the courtroom. “I don’t believe any magistrate in Brisbane would be unreasonable enough to do that.”
The case has been rescheduled for later this month.
