Another Equal Love rally for marriage equality hit the streets of Perth CBD last Saturday, and although attendance was low, energies were high.
The 400 strong group showed initial exasperation for continued campaigning, but delivered a lively protest full of high hopes that drew onlookers out of shops and cafes to watch and join in.
The group got handed a dose of motivation from speakers including MLA John Hyde, Hon Lynn MacLaren, and representatives from Equal Love and the National Education Tertiary Union.
MacLaren urged attendees to not give up the long struggle, noting the dilapidated numbers –
‘Now obviously this campaign is not over, and this is not one of the most energetic moments of it either. Today our numbers are down from last time, and I can feel there’s a little bit of tiredness in the crowd, but are you going to give up?’.
Having arrived from Kalgoorlie that morning, Hyde promised that rural regions were in support of equal marriage rights –
‘People in Kalgoorlie, people in Derby, people in Albany people, all around Australia, all around WA that know that this is a strong issue of human rights. It’s not going to be easy, human rights never are, we know we’re right. It’s frustrating! I’m sick of coming to rallies and seeing that we’re not getting our holy grail’.
Although insisting that numbers must stay up during rallies, Hyde insisted that a lot of work is done behind the scenes by those who can’t attend –
‘People that don’t turn up to these rallies are the ones that are emailing and writing to MPs in Rockingham in Midland in all of the outer suburbs and saying “look it matters to us”’.
Equal Love’s Amber Maxwell and Sam Cavallaro facilitated the rally, offering unprecedented energy that spurred on protestors. The pair broke out of the usual pattern, insisting that the whole rally sit down in the middle of Hay St Mall whilst continuing chants.
The rally was also undeterred by police intervention, who attempted to stop the rally from moving onto William Street. Failed attempts resulted in the police setting up road blocks that later allowed the rally to walk along Barrack Street and across St Georges Terrace.
Speaking to OUTinPerth, MacLaren emphasised that the fight must continue –
‘I think the growing numbers time and time again when the polls are taken illustrate that people everywhere who are hanging on to the old opposition to it are becoming fewer and fewer. Even in the last vote we saw people here in WA change their mind and that’s a good sign.’
Nadine Walker
