'Annoy' squad's pre-emptive strike

Civil libertarians are outraged and gay groups say they feel intimidated after receiving calls from the NSW police "World Youth Day investigations squad" asking them about planned protests during the event.

Gay Brisbane artist Luke Roberts, who created the artistic persona "Pope Alice" in the 1970s, said he received a call yesterday morning from an officer who questioned him about the "kiss-in" his alter-ego is planning to hold in Sydney during World Youth Day.

"He was very polite and respectful but it was a long conversation," Mr Roberts said. "No one wants to get a call from the police, do they? You immediately wonder whether the police are listening in to your phone line."

The police action comes days after the revelation that special laws have been passed for the event allowing police to clamp down on people causing an "annoyance or inconvenience" to World Youth Day participants and issue fines of up to $5500.

The laws could be used to target the actions of Pope Alice, who claims to be the "Queen of Heaven and curator of the universe", if authorities deem them to be annoying during the event.

 'Annoy' squad's pre-emptive strike Sydney Morning Herald