WA Police ban at least six protesters from Perth defence expo security zone

Western Australian police have barred at least six people from protesting inside the security zone for next week's Land Forces defence expo in Perth. The event is due to open on Tuesday at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and is expected to draw about 20,000 delegates. The bans were issued before the expo begins, as police start using new temporary powers granted under legislation passed last month.

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The people affected have received letters from police telling them they are excluded from the security area. A letter seen by the ABC warned that entering the zone could lead to arrest, a jail term of up to three years and a fine of $36,000. Police have not said why the individuals were targeted, although Darren Seivwright said some of those banned had behavioural problems, including criminal histories.

The security powers came into effect on Thursday and will remain in place until 10 October, covering the expo's set-up, operation and pack-down. The security zone covers the convention centre and the Elizabeth Quay bus port, where police can stop and search people and remove anyone they choose. Those who have been banned will still be allowed to protest outside the zone.

Activists and the Greens have criticised the move, saying police have not been transparent about the reasons for the exclusions. The WA government says the extra powers are intended to prevent a repeat of the clashes seen outside the Land Forces expo in Melbourne in 2024. The decision highlights the tension between public order policing and the right to protest around major defence events.

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Land Forces is a significant industry and defence gathering, and the Perth edition is being treated by authorities as a major security operation. The use of temporary exclusion powers suggests the government is prioritising crowd control and the protection of the venue over unrestricted access near the site. It also places the police response under scrutiny because the reasons for the bans have not been disclosed.

The controversy also reflects the wider political sensitivity around the expo itself. The Land Forces event has previously drawn protests, and the 2024 Melbourne edition was marked by clashes outside the venue. In Perth, the WA government has linked the new legislation directly to avoiding a repeat of that disorder.

The presence of groups such as the WA Anti-War Collective and the Greens indicates that opposition to the event is likely to continue even with the new restrictions in place. What remains unclear is how many more people, if any, may be excluded before the expo opens and whether the police will provide further detail on the basis for the bans. It is also not yet clear how the protest groups will respond once the security zone is active.

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