Queensland police have withdrawn a charge against Brisbane councillor Jonathan Sri who was arrested while protesting at a refugee rights rally at Kangaroo Point last weekend.
The Greens councillor was arrested on Saturday evening while protesting against the detention of asylum seekers at an apartment complex at Kangaroo Point.
He was later charged with contravening the direction of a police officer.
In a statement, the Queensland Police Service (QPS) said it had reviewed the circumstances surrounding his arrest.
"As a result, the QPS will withdraw the sole charge of contravening a direction against a 32-year-old East Brisbane man when the matter is brought before the Brisbane Magistrates Court today," the statement read.
"The decision to withdraw the charge follows careful consideration of the circumstances including a review of available evidence."
Sri calls on police to apologise
Earlier this week, the Greens councillor said he had been singled out for arrest at the protest and accused police of allowing politics to motivate its operational decisions.
"The police wrote [to me] yesterday evening that they were dropping the charge. I do have to appear briefly in court later this morning to have that confirmed," Mr Sri told ABC Radio Brisbane.
"It seems like they recognised that they did the wrong thing by arresting me and that there's no evidence that I violated the move on direction.
"I'll be calling on the police to consider giving me an apology as they held me in the watch house for several hours."
He said other protesters still had charges against them.
"They dropped the charge against me as they could see that I was going to fight it and they didn't want to pick that fight," Cr Sri said.
"There's still charge cases open against other protesters and that raises serious concerns about the attack on democracy and our right to peaceful protest."
'Drunk on power'
Earlier this week, Cr Sri expressed concerns for the QPS's use of its police powers.
"We've seen a number of people arrested for standing on the footpath, pulling people up telling them they're causing anxiety to the security guard," Mr Sri said.
"If someone questions that order they're arrested without any further warning.
"What the police are doing to target peaceful protesters is really concerning.
"Police have a broad [range] of powers but if they are moving someone on from a protest, they can't do it just on the basis that it is causing anxiety to another.
"I think the police are starting to learn now that they've been a little bit drunk on power and have gone a bit too far on how they use these powers."
Mr Sri said he will return to the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel and Apartments where dozens of asylum seekers are being held to continue protesting on Sunday afternoon.
"Originally the police had imposed a bail condition that would last till the end of August that said I couldn't attend within 200 metres of the hotel,: Cr Sri said.
"I had to apply to bring forward my court date to have that bail condition lifted and once I made that application the police wrote back and advised they were dropping the charges altogether."
Mr Sri is expected to briefly appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court this afternoon to finalise the matter.
