Ark Tribe paid tribute to his family and supporters before defiantly enetering Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday December 18.

Around 200 workers gathered in Victoria Square to demonstrate against the Australian Building and Construction Commission and its hounding of Tribe for refusing to give up workmates over a union meeting.

At a short hearing his trial was set for June 15.

Clearly moved by the support he is receiving, Ark took to the microphone after arriving from his lawyer's office.

"Since these laws that single out building workers have been introduced there's been a lot more blood and guts on the concrete," he declared.

He was referring to the growing construction fatality rate which rose from 19 in 2004-5 before the ABCC's introduction, to 40 in 2007-8. The dispute over which the ABCC is now trying to jail Ark Tribe arose over safety. The stand CFMEU members took on the site at Flinders University was supported by Safework SA inspectors but the ABCC wanted the union fined for breaching John Howard's laws.

The ABCC tried to coerce Ark into informing on his workmates. He refused.

"The ALP should be ashamed", Ark continued to loud cheers. Clearly many in the union movement are fed up with Labor's failure to get rid of the Liberals' anti-worker laws, as they promised.

Ark was generous with his thanks, mentioning his family, the support he receives through internet sites like rightsonsite.org.au and his union.

"If it wasn't for the CFMEU I"d probably be in the clink by now. The support from everyone 'round Australia has been awesome," he said.

Watch: Video of Ark's family talking about how the witchunt affects them.