Boundary Street Markets: Last market cancelled amid fears of protest action
THE final Boundary Street Markets will not go ahead tonight and the former ABSOE site has been placed into immediate shutdown.
It is understood Payce Consolidated, the developer behind the multi-million development West Village which is planned for the site, has hired security guards and put up fencing after believing protesters could chain themselves to shipping containers at the markets this evening.A spokesman for Payce Consolidated said it was “incorrect to say Payce has cancelled the markets”.
“Payce has no involvement in that decision,” the spokesman said.
“That’s a matter for market operator Fred Drake, you should refer your inquiry to him.
“Payce has not further comment on the issue.”
But Boundary Street Markets organiser David Bostock told City South News he understood the markets would not go ahead tonight.
The news followed a public meeting about the ABSOE site organised by Brisbane City Councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba) on Thursday, April 21 at West End Uniting Church.
Cr Sri confirmed there was talk of “civil disobedience” at the meeting but said rumours of people chaining themselves to anything at the markets were “wildly exaggerated”.
“I think it’s incredibly unlikely that anyone would have sought to disrupt the music or the markets in that way,” Cr Sri said.
“I think they (Payce Consolidated) got nervous, it’s an over-reaction and it shows how out of touch they are with the community.”
Cr Sri confirmed a “last drinks” event was planned to be held at the Motor Room on Saturday night “where we all meet and commemorate the Motor Room”.
“There was talk of civil disobedience (at the Thursday night meeting) and I told the crowd that I think we’re at the point where people aren’t going to take the community seriously unless they start engaging in some form of civil disobedience.
“But I don’t think anyone was planning to disrupt the markets or the music, I think we’re the people who want the markets and the music to stay around so that would not have made sense. This seems illogical and inconsistent.”
Mr Bostock said he was emotional and could not believe the market was going to end “like this”.
“As I talk, there’s fences going up everywhere it’s just devastating,” Mr Bostock said.
“There’s forklifts and everything.”
Mr Bostock said he understood market holders would be allowed to return to the site under watch of security employed by Payce Consolidated to collect their belongings.
“I got a call from the (Boundary Street Markets) head director Fred Drake, he just said to me … The Greens had a meeting last night and that people threaten to chain themselves to the Motor Room and Payce have reacted immediately and blocked off the site’,” Mr Bostock said.
Quest Newspapers
Greens Councillor Jonathon Sri has issued a press release.