http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/13/2003383.htm

Activists run foul of Tamworth council
Posted Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:26pm AEST  

Activists claim the Tamworth Regional Council in New South Wales is on a "power trip" after they were banned from holding a protest against the battery hen industry on the weekend. 

The Human Battery Cage group says they had planned to set up a display highlighting their concerns about conditions faced by chickens. 

The group's spokesman, Shane Dalgleish, says Tamworth's reliance on the multi-million dollar local industry could have been behind the ban, which is the first they have encountered on a five month tour of Australia. 

"A lot of local governments around the country do fancy themselves as having a lot more power than what they actually do," he said. 

"But when they blatantly go against what is a commonly held belief, that we do have a right to have a comment and a chat about what's going on in that area, then that's something that's just not right." 

The Tamworth Regional Council has been asked for comment.