‘Toy guns are fun’ that’s what Starpower, a Melbourne based performer thought on the morning of August 1st 1997 when he was summoned to court for having a toy gun tucked into his boot. He now faces three serious charges which are, possession of an imitation firearm, possession of a hand gun and possession of an unregistered hand gun. There is also the possibility of thousands of dollars in fines. Starpower is about to embark on a fight for himself and others and their right to freedom of expression and the right to be yourself.
Walking past Flinders St. police station with friends the night after a performance. Looking glamorous in his super girl outfit, with glitter make up, glitter hair, the works. His trusty toy gun tucked into his boot from his performance the previous night. “Two young police officers approached me and I just automatically just thought OK great, maybe they must be thinking about this toy gun you know. I pulled out the toy gun and said ‘look guys its a fake one, its a cap gun you play with it’”. This wasn’t the answer the police were looking for “...they were young and aggressive. They were just sort of freaking out and then they decided that I would be getting a summons. I wasn’t actually arrested they just said that I get a summons for possession of imitation firearms. They were thinking how do we know that your not going to go across to McDonalds and start robbing McDonalds and all crap like that.” Through out the interrogation Starpower tried explaining the gun was part of his act. “... I was like this is a joke man like you know come on its a toy gun and they were asking what you do with it and I said I played with it.” Starpower explained that he used it in a performance the night before and that’s why it was on him.
Star normally doesn’t carry guns that look so realistic, even though the gun in question had a fluro orange nozzle on its tip. “ It’s really, really obvious to any one who walks past that this wasn’t a real gun and its not really about the gun it’s about them using you know the toy gun to try and do me over. They don’t like me.” Realizing that the situation was related to his appearance Starpower poured his energy into fighting for the freedom of his self expression. “Its about the kind of government and police being afraid of people especially in our scene in the sort of techno scene... they don’t likeit when people don’t conform to their little ways, people just go about being their selves you know it intimidates them its fear because they want everyone to conform and so they’re in control. They have no power out of us.” The whole police force is in uproar “ like I’ve talked to a friend who was actually in the police station and they asked him if he was down at the Melbourne magistrates court on the day and he said ‘yeah I was’ and they were going on about man we thought you were nice you know, now we don’t like you at all.” The rally held out side the court on his first appearance was a huge success. It was a technicolour day with Star’s friends showing their full support. Through the positive media attention his cause has been exposed to the mainstream community and they have offered their support. “I’ve been having heaps of mainstream people yobs, housewives, bogans, people would normally go hurr get freaked out or fucking go fucking freak out the window now yell out the window yea Starpower keep on going good on ya mate. So my message got across to the mainstream.”
The message he is sending to society is freedom of expression, being yourself. “Were not harming anyone were just doing our own thing and we should be able to do that.” Although not intimidated during his actual court appearance the police do intimidate him a little “... I just don’t like them because I mean they are carrying around guns aren’t they.” A recently formed performance group called ‘Journey to the fifth dimension’ with friend Barbie Bliss, will include acts with lots of superhero and toy performances “ We kind of want to get across to people that we like to play games... discover your inner child and go with that. It’s really amazing when you’re an adult, you really have to take back your child hood as well. It makes what life is all about. Also we want to show people how to be free.. just express yourself, this is where I feel we are coming from.”
Super Evolution is the up and coming rally on March 26th. This is the day Starpower faces court for a second time. “We are going to be pushing the point that we live in a really evolving community at the parties we go to they are more than just parties there’s a big sort of spiritual learning adventure that everyone goes on that needs to be talked about more” The up and coming movement that has begun is all about “A learning growing experience together that will take us to the next plane.” This whole experience has made him stronger “ This occurrence has motivated me into doing something and doing what I have been wanting to do for ages. You know I’ve always wanted to fight for our rights and get that message across to people on what I’m about and what we’re about and stuff like that get it out into the open” Starpower suggests that “If you just be yourself your life is absolutely rockin. You attract the most rockin people around you... they accept you for who you are”
At his court mention, Starpower pleaded not guilty to all three charges. On the day of court to his surprise he received an extra charge. That being, if you have a toy gun that looks in anyway too realistic, it’s classified as a toy gun. “The never considered all the repercussions of this law from now on any one who walks out of a toy store kids, parents who ever... if they’ve got that toy gun on them they can now be arrested.”
The toy gun was bought for $5 at the Vic market. “... if they are going to introduce pathetic stupid laws like that there should be fucking warnings on stuff like that.”
February 10th 1998, Star’s first court appearance had the court security Act in action. An act that had only been invoked the month previous when a big time gangster appeared. The magistrate was wondering why on the day this was invoked for Starpower’s case and so was Star. “They must of just been scared of me, or had wind that there was going to be a demo or something like that. “
When he faces court next on March 26th there will be a carnival of activity music, performance and dancing taking place with friends and members of the community showing their support for a superhero whose name is about “...freedom and light like those stars that give out energy for the planet, they give out life and they shine really bright and they rock. I feel that’s what I’m about”
UPDATE - Starpower got off on all charges (it was thrown out of court)
TEASH