Ep. 21 Free Speech on Trial?

This week Blair Cottrell’s appeal trial against his conviction under Victoria’s Racial and Religious Tolerance Act is finally taking place. Given I’ve been in attendance at the County Court on the midweek edition of WilmsFront I provide my analysis as the trial reaches its conclusion and explore if free speech in Australia is really on trial?

Cottrell, along with fellow patriot activists and former United Patriots Front colleagues Neil Erikson and Christopher Shortis, were found guilty under the Act in a trial at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in September 2017.

The charges against the trio were related to a mock beheading stunt they performed outside Bendigo’s Council building during the United Patriots Front’s activism against the construction of a mosque in the regional Victorian city in 2015. It was published on their Facebook to promote an upcoming rally in the city

There are three grounds which Blair Cottrell’s lawyer John Bolton’s arguing. The conviction should be quashed based on substantive evidence. That the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act violates Cottrell’s rights Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, plus his implied freedom to political communication under Australia’s Constitution.

I play my opening remarks from the court on Monday, an update after all the substantive evidence and charter arguments on Tuesday. Plus my interview with Blair Cottrell following John Bolton’s arguments on the constitutional validity question. I end providing own analysis and reflections on what this case means for the meaning of free speech in Australia.

Wilms Front Links:
Website: http://timwilms.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wilmsfront
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wilmsfront
Minds: https://www.minds.com/timwilms
Gab: https://gab.com/timwilms
Rational Rise TV: https://rationalrise.tv/

Support the Show:
Membership: http://www.theunshackled.net/membership
Donate: https://www.theunshackled.net/donate/
Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/theunsh...
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theunshackled
Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/TheUnshackled

Other Unshackled Productions:
The Uncuckables: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDg6qZbQt68DJ4gmHWhOCuw
Debt Nation: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKKEHuAGzwVtIEIFW3cZOPg

Affiliate Productions:
The Rational Rise: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdEfsAy6rUDPnm9HwKA_asg
Right Minds NZ: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFcFU3Qv9lKc9rHEIqWd6Dw
Matty's Modern Life: https://www.youtube.com/user/mattus52
XYZ Live: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsVPqW6Mi0XP6hOXTE4sT6g
Melbourne Traditionalists: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCREh4e70ZihL5dj0N_kyaaw

Other Unshackled Links:
Website: https://www.theunshackled.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TUnshackled
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Un_shackled
Gab: https://gab.ai/theunshackled
Telegram: https://t.me/theunshackled
Minds: https://www.minds.com/The_Unshackled

Music and Graphics by James Fox Higgins
Voice Over By Morgan Munro