Save The Chaser

Set Chas Licciardello and Julian Morrow Free!





News Story About The Incident:





"David Braithwaite


September 6, 2007 - 4:41PM





The Chaser team's arrest after driving a fake motorcade into Sydney's restricted zone - with one member dressed as Osama bin Laden - proves APEC security is a success, the NSW Police Minister says.





An angry David Campbell denied he was embarrassed by the comedians' ability to penetrate APEC's restricted zone - rather, he was pleased the "multi-layered'' security had worked.





He said the prank was inappropriate and he "did not see the funny side at all''.





The Chaser's production team had been specifically warned by police to behave responsibly during the APEC security lockdown, he said.





"[The police] said: 'We understand that parody and satire are entertaining and fun, many people watch the program and enjoy it, but please understand the seriousness of this matter and please take caution as you go about making your program.'





"That seems to have been thrown out the window and that, I think, is inappropriate."





Eleven members of the Chaser were arrested for breaching the APEC restricted zone, including Chas Licciardello, and executive producer Julian Morrow.





They were taken to Surry Hills police station, where it remains to be seen if they will be charged.





Their motorcade, branded with the Canadian flag, is understood to have passed through at least one police checkpoint in the declared zone.





The vehicle was pulled over near the corner of Bridge and Macquarie streets.





A police statement said the show's producers were earlier this week urged to consider the ramification of stunts during APEC.





No charges were brought when the team dressed up as a police horse yesterday.





Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer said that the fact the Chaser team was arrested showed the security system worked.





But he told an APEC news conference: "Whatever you think of the humour of the Chaser ... they were clearly not going to harm anybody in a physical way.





"They presumably were, as is the nature of their show, aiming to humiliate a lot of well-known people."





Chaser team member Chris Taylor told smh.com.au that the motorcade comprised "three cars, a couple of motorbikes, and a lot of crew".





"It was a motorcade trying to get into the exclusion zone," he said.





"No particular reason we chose Canada," said Taylor. "We just thought they'd be a country who the cops wouldn't scrutinise too closely, and who feasibly would only have three cars in their motorcade - as opposed to the 20 or so gas guzzlers that Bush has brought with him."





The vehicles in the motorcade were hired - two were black SUVs imported from the US, and the other was a regular car.





Police superintendent Ken McKay confirmed the arrests had been made using new powers available under the APEC Act."





All They Did Was Prove How Under Prepared The Australian Goverment Were For APEC. Let Them Go!