A criminal charge against environmental campaigner Bob Brown has been dropped but his legal battle isn't over.
The former Australian Greens leader, 71, on Wednesday said he's yet to learn details of the technicality which meant police would not pursue a conviction on allegations he refused to leave a business area while conducting a peaceful anti-logging protest.
He was arrested by officers at Lapoinya State Forest in Tasmania's northwest in January and subsequently charged under anti-protest laws.
"I do feel sorry for the police ... they should be off preventing real crime," Dr Brown said, citing the backflip by prosecutors.
He has launched a legal challenge against the Tasmanian legislation targeting protesters, and said he will not be deterred simply because his charge has been dropped, and plans to take the matter to the High Court.
"The legislation is undemocratic, it's against the rights of the citizens of Tasmania and there are plenty of other laws to arrest people who are breaching the peace or doing the wrong thing," Dr Brown said.
Four other people who protested at Lapoinya were charged under the laws and police said the cases are being reviewed, while Dr Brown insists they be dropped.
The problem with Dr Brown's case was that at the time of his arrest he was standing on business premises, but not in an access area as alleged by the criminal charge, police said.
"The law should be very clear and when it goes through parliament governments have responsibility for that," Dr Brown said, asking that the law be rescinded or risk further failure.
The laws, which include penalties including a fine of up to $10,000 and four years in jail, faced stiff opposition when proposed.
The state Liberal government, which backed the legislation, said workers and business owners have a right to operate without the threat of disturbance by protesters.
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