No, not under any circumstances Not sure Don't care Civil disobedience is when members of the public break the law to protest against the actions or policies of governments or private corporations. In some cases, civil disobedience takes the form of a peaceful protest. Jesus and his disciples followed a religion that was prohibited by the government of the time and used no violence when confronted by the authorities. Likewise, Mahatma Ghandi and his followers protested British colonial rule in India through peaceful means. However, civil disobedience can also involve damage to property, non-payment of fines or taxes, obstruction of building work, trespassing, or rioting.
Australian history is littered with examples of civil disobedience.
During the Gold Rush days, a group of miners led by Peter Lalor raised the flag of the Southern Cross and publicly burned gold licences to protest maladministration and corruption in the goldfields. During the early 90s, when the French resumed nuclear testing in the South Pacific, the most violent protests were in Australia and New Zealand, which have taken leading roles against nuclear testing in the Pacific basin. A French consulate was firebombed in Perth, while another received a truckload of manure, ordered by a comedian on live television. Recent incidents of civil disobedience have included the controversial S11 protests outside the World Economic Forum in Melbourne in September 2000 and riots at Woomera Detention Centre in South Australia. Civil disobedience has often proved successful in overcoming oppression and unpopular policies where all other methods have failed.