A Queensland based critic of the Chinese government who was kicked out of Parliament House, Canberra in late November has received a public apology from the Australian Federal Police.
Former senate candidate and activist Drew Pavlou was at Parliament House waiting to meet with MPs when he was approached by Federal Police officers directing him to leave the premises or face arrest.
Mr Pavlou filmed the request to remove him from the Parliamentary coffee shop on TikTok:
Mr Pavlou complied with the request but protested at the treatment.
The Queenslander has been seeking a protection order against a Chinese diplomat, accusing the ex-Brisbane consul-general of a brutal, systematic harassment campaign against him. Mr Pavlou told the AAP on the 25th of November:
"The Chinese Communist Party has been behind an extended campaign to brutally go against me and my family.
"My younger brother has been targeted with bomb threats, my family have continued to be targeted with death threats, I have been assaulted multiple times on Australian streets.
"Sadly I can't even post (on social media) where I will be in advance for fear of being targeted with bomb threats."
Mr Pavlou posted on the day when he was evicted from Parliament:
Earlier that day, Mr Pavlou claimed the AFP had hindered him interviewing members of the Uighur community regarding their family's treatment by the Chinese communist party:
The area in question outside Parliament House is one where no interviews are conducted by the media, instead an approved area is 100 metres further away on the grassed area committed for public protests and media crosses.
Mr Pavlou made a successful return to parliament the following day:
On Friday, the AFP issued a public apology for Mr Pavlou's removal from Parliament House on the 23rd of November:
"(An) internal review found that AFP Protective Services Officers acted professionally and in good faith in seeking to maintain the order and decorum of the Parliament, however there were insufficient reasonable grounds to ask the individual to vacate APH.
"The AFP is of the view that an apology is owed to the member of the public.
"That apology was issued in person today by the AFP.
"The AFP will implement all recommendations of the review, which relate to improving processes, procedures and training."
Mr Pavlou expressed shock on Friday afternoon that he had received the apology:
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