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Peaceful Sydney Anti-Bush, Anti-Iraq
Shattered By Police Violence : "That's The Way We Do Business Now"
Police Removed Mandatory ID Badges Before Unleashing
On Protesters
The
Orstrahyun
Monday September 10, 2007
They came in their thousands, in defiance of a month long fear and intimidation
campaign by the state and federal governments, the police and the Murdoch
media.
Of the more than 6000-8000 who marched, all but a few dozen protested
peacefully, without violence or aggression. More than half of all protesters
were women, hundreds of elderly people marched, joined by hundreds of
families, with young children.
But the 2500 police deployed, backed by a full riot squad, a water cannon,
backpacks full of pepper spray, dogs and snipers in a helicopter hovering
above the crowd, were pumped for the long promised "worst riots ever seen
in Sydney." A promise
made only by the police and state government ministers over the past
few weeks.
Protesters were wrestled to the ground, put in headlocks, had their arms
twisted up behind their backs, had knees rammed into their spines and,
in a number of assaults by police, were punched in the back and neck with
a flurry of hard blows while being held down. Few of those assaulted and
beaten displayed any resistance at all.
Dozens were removed from the Sydney protest on Saturday for taking photographs
or video of police, dozens more were shoved, thrown to the ground and
generally provoked. But still the
crowd did not erupt into the expected mass violence and disordert.
An accountant, who crossed the street in the wrong place, was slammed
onto the footpath and had his face rammed into the ground by at least
six police officers. His young son stood nearby, clearly trembling in
fear, as police wrestled the man who offered up no resistance, except
to protect his glasses. He was held in a police cell for 22 hours and
was denied contact with his lawyer and family members. Police didn't return
his glasses until after he was released from custody.
But for all the violence unleashed on the protesters, only a few were
arrested, and less than 10 face any charges at all. Two of the charges
related to nudity. Some were detained for swearing, others were dragged
away by police because they dared to question why someone else was being
dragged away. Some were charged with resisting arrest. You could be arrested
for resisting arrest by simply asking "why are you detaining me?"
The media
came under attack from the police as well. Photographers and videographers
were assaulted, detained and in some cases arrested.
The vast majority of the violent incidents mentioned above were captured
on video.
Of the actions of police, the new Chief Commissioner, Andrew Scipione
is reported as saying the tactics were well practised and cleared
defined :
"That's the way that we do
business in NSW now."
The majority of police officers involved in all the violent incidents listed
above had removed their mandatory identification badges before they unleashed
on the vastly peaceful protesters who gathered in Sydney on Saturday to
voice their dissent against the Iraq War and the presence of President Bush
in their city.
Hundreds of police were captured on video with no visible identification.
The Police Service manual advises all uniformed police officers to follow
the law and display identification at all times.
Hundreds of police and detectives disguised themselves as as protesters
and infiltrated the huge crowd.
When a protester in Hyde Park moved as though he was acting to set fire
to a small American flag, six to eight undercover police or detectives swooped
on him and dragged him away.
One eyewitness claimed that one of those who took part in the arrest of
the potential flag burner had earlier been seen throwing small objects from
within the crowd and had been chastised by protesters. At least one protester
was reported in the media to have been dragged away by police for throwing
objects. The eyewitness refused to give their name, and said he was fearful
of repercussions from police.
The issue of police not wearing ID on their uniforms will
be investigated internally.
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