It is important to know your rights when you face a legal problem, even when we don't think of them as legal.
Victorian Law Week is a time to learn how the law works, get legal help, understand your rights.
See below some common issues that may concern your rights when protesting and where you can go for help.
The Victorian public has a right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, allowing Victorians to protest freely. A protest means an event held to advance, publicise or promote a political, ideological or industrial cause.
Protesting can draw the attention of police. If you are going to protest, it’s important to know what you can and can’t do, and your rights when interacting with police. During a protest, police can only ask you to move on if there has been a breach of the peace, injury or damage has been caused to people or property, or people have been endangered.
There are dedicated legal assistance services for protest if they are eligible.
You can find legal information and may be eligible for free legal advice from Victoria Legal Aid or from your local community legal centre
Otherwise, you can seek help from a private lawyer using the Find Your Lawyer Referral Service. All law firms included in the service provide a free 30-minute interview.
