NSW push to stop climate protesters livestreaming on Facebook labelled 'profoundly anti-democratic'

Civil liberties advocates have lashed the New South Wales Labor government’s attempts to stop climate activists from livestreaming protests on Facebook.Members of Blockade Australia have this week staged and streamed protests across the country, including along a train line that services the Newcastle coal port.The premier, Chris Minns, announced via the Daily Telegraph on Thursday that he would request a meeting with the social media giant, alongside police, to see what they can do to “stop the broadcast of illegal acts”. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup “Their business model relies on social media to broadcast their protest,” he said of the Blockade Australia protesters.“These thrill demonstrators are putting lives at risk – both their own and those of emergency service and police.“I don’t want to see a situation where there’s a death broadcast on social media.”The opposition supported the idea, with leader and former attorney general, Mark Speakman, saying it would help deprive the protesters of attention.“We all have a right to protest, but other people have rights as well … all those rights have to be balanced,” he said.But independent crossbench MP Alex Greenwich said it was a
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