Foreign correspondents have condemned the arrest of a French news crew while covering an anti-Adani protest in north Queensland this week.
Foreign correspondents have condemned the arrest of a French news team covering a north Queensland protest.
The Foreign Correspondents' Association Australia and South Pacific (FCA) says the arrest of television correspondent Hugo Clement and his crew this week was "a nasty and dangerous development".
The group working for French public broadcaster France 2 were taken into custody while filming an anti-Adani protest near Abbot Point on Monday.
Queensland police charged the group with trespassing while filming a demonstration, which included two protesters who had locked their hands inside a concrete barrel.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the FCA said the arrests were a concern to every working journalist in Australia.
"To see any arrests or restrictions placed on working media, and in this case arrests of visiting correspondents, is seen by us all as a nasty and dangerous development and threat to the modern democracy for which Australia has been known and admired previously," it read.
"We demand that all foreign correspondents are not impeded in their work in this way again in Australia."
The organisation has sought assurances from Australian state and federal governments that the police action will not be repeated.
It follows Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman's calls for the Queensland Police Service commissioner to explain why the group were charged.
Media union president Marcus Strom has called for the charges to be dropped.
Queensland Police on Tuesday declined to take a firm position on the matter.
"As the trespass matters will be heard in court, it would be inappropriate to provide detailed comment at this time," a police statement said.
Mr Clement told AAP police arrested the crew without explanation.
It comes as the Queensland Resources Council has supported harsher penalties for activists who break the law and commit illegal trespass put before parliament by the state opposition.
