Melbourne Activist Legal Support (‘MALS’) is a volunteer organisation that provides legal assistance to groups and communities exercising their right to undertake grassroots political action. MALS is establishing itself with the long term aim of providing direct protest support services at major demonstrations: monitoring police engagement with protesters, providing basic legal information to persons at risk of being arrested, and coordinating litigation support in conjunction with law firms and community legal centres.

MALS advocates for an informed and robust civil society, and seeks to enable activists to defend their own civil and political rights though the provision of legal observer training, free resources and up to date information regarding the right to protest at law in the State of Victoria.

With the expansion of police and PSO move-on powers by the Napthine Government in 2014, MALS undertook campaign activities for the establishment of greater protections for the right to protest. MALS called for the repeal of these laws and the enactment of permanent protections for demonstrators in accordance with Australia’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The move-on powers were repealed by the Andrews Government in March 2015.

MALS acknowledges the centuries of Aboriginal struggle against genocide and severe political and legal repression in Australia, and the continued disproportionate targeting and oppression of Aboriginal people by the Australian police and legal system. Aboriginal people were the first in Australia to face the full force of English ‘common law’, and all activists in Australia today owe a huge debt to Aboriginal activists throughout our history who fought for basic human rights, social, legal and political change.

"The actions' not over until everyone is out of the lock-up;
The campaigns' not over until everyone is finished with court."
- Activist Legal Solidarity Statement