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Protester charged with trespassing on Indonesian consulate-general in Melbourne
Melbourne Age - January 31, 2017
The arrest was made three days after Indonesia criticised Australia for not arresting a man who clambered onto the roof of the consulate-general and waved a separatist West Papuan flag on January 6.
"The Australian Federal Police can confirm it arrested a 42-year-old man in the Melbourne suburb of Williamstown on Monday, January 30," the Australian Federal Police said.
The arrest comes just days before Attorney-General George Brandis, Justice Minister Michael Keenan and Minister for Defence Personnel Dan Tehan are scheduled to attend the Ministerial Council on Law and Security in Jakarta.
On January 26, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said a parliamentary commission requested the Australian government legally process the trespassing incident "because we know the faces of perpetrators, we have the pictures".
The incident featured a demonstrator waving the separatist West Papuan "Morning Star" flag, which is banned in Indonesia, while another person filmed the event. The video was posted on Facebook and distributed widely.
"The question is why has there been no arrest when 20 days have passed?" Ms Retno said on January 26. "As close neighbouring countries, we have a very intense relationship and of course problems occur every now and then," Ms Retno said.
Another MP – Tubagus Hasanudin – went further than Ms Retno, saying Indonesia could take diplomatic measures if no legal action was taken.
Many Indonesians remain suspicious of Australia's intentions in Papua, even though it has signed the Lombok Treaty recognising Indonesian sovereignty over the restive province.
However the Indonesian Foreign Ministry stressed its concern was the trespass, which Ms Retno described as a criminal act that was "completely intolerable".
The AFP spokesman said the man had been charged with trespass of a protected premises, contrary to section 20 of the Protection of Persons and Property Act 1971.
Under the act, a person who trespasses on protected premises commits an offence, punishable on conviction by a fine of not more than 10 penalty units ($1800).
The man has been bailed to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on February 23. "As the matter is now before the court it would not be appropriate to provide any further comment," the AFP spokesperson said.
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