“We will not be intimidated, especially when we are trying to stop a genocide,” he told the house.
“Any time police officers resort to the use of force against non-violent protesters, they violate these principles and undermine the consent and respect necessary for the police to do their job.”
Every single week for the last 21 weeks upon #Gadigal land, there have been thousands upon thousands (sometimes easily tens of thousands) of people gathering in support of a #ceasefire in #Gaza and calling upon the Australian #Albanese government to stop supporting #Israel in its #genocide.
Every Sunday in Hyde Park at 1.30pm,* we've listened to #Aboriginal speakers, #Palestinian speakers, #Jewish speakers, politicians of various stripes (though neither of the major parties, of course, as they both remain complicit in support of the government responsible for most of the slaughter), elders who lived through the #Naqba, teenagers organising #StudentStrike4Palestine, community leaders, poets, faith leaders and more, with perhaps 75% of the speakers being women, and almost all being people of colour (most of the exceptions being MPs).
*Except when #NSWpolice has dictated otherwise, giving priority to (much smaller and only) occasional pro-Israel rallies and forcing a shift to Saturday a couple of times, under threat of #PoliceViolence.
Then we've marched (or rolled) with flags, banners, signs, drums and (loud!) voices: Arab, Aboriginal, African, Anglo, Asian and more; from those too old to walk (in wheelchairs) to those too young to walk (in strollers).
#ABCNewsRadio this morning in Gadi/Sydney conflated the numbers at yesterday's pro-Palestinian #StopTheGenocide march (tens of thousands) with the pro-Israel demonstration happening at the same time across town (hundreds, I believe, though I'm not 100% sure), further minimising by only citing a number from #NSWpolice (long known by media orgs to lowball), only briefly mentioning the contents of one speech at the anti-genocide/pro-Palestinian march (which was by a Jewish speaker and even that was not reported accurately), not using the word 'genocide' (the focus of the rally), claiming ignorance of the date of next week's rally (Saturday), and not placing yesterday's protest in the context of millions of people protesting for a ceasefire and against the occupation all around the world.
More shameful behaviour right now from #NSWpolice. At a peaceful gathering of tens of thousands of people in Gadi/Sydney, all trying to listen to voices of women sharing stories of state violence, trauma and being silenced, NSW police have parked not one but two helicopters in place hovering very low above the rally, making it extremely difficult to hear the speakers, for no obvious operational reason, other than being a petty echo of the incredibly dark state suppression the speakers are talking about.
Anyone in these lands now called Australia who is shocked at the outcome of the #Indigenous#VoiceToParliament referendum, saying "this isn't the Australia I thought I knew", might well have been in favour of listening to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, but clearly wasn't actually already listening to those voices speaking about their experiences.
That a large proportion of Australian voters were all too readily mobilised by racist dogwhistles & disinformation came as a surprise to precisely zero Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people I know.
To illustrate this: did you know, in the most recent three year period for which there is (self-reported) data, 45% of all 'use of force' incidents by #NSWpolice were directed towards a First Nations person? If you're part of the 3.4% of NSW who are Indigenous I doubt this is particularly news for you. If you're not, were you aware of this? And remember that the (chronically/strategically underfunded) police watchdog LECC admits that even this data is incomplete, meaning the true figure may well be higher.
A suggestion for non-Indigenous #Auspol folk who voted Yes in the failed #VoiceReferendum - even if the government might not be constitutionally required to listen, maybe consider how you can.
Many thousands gathered today in Hyde Park on #Gadigal land. Members of both the NSW & federal governments had said this event ought to be prevented from occurring, including #ALP Premier #ChrisMinns.
Speakers included Aboriginal, Palestinian & Jewish leaders. They spoke of the horrific violence against the population of #Gaza, and linked this to #colonial violence in these lands (amongst other points). #Antisemitism was vigorously and repeatedly condemned as antithetical to the #AntiRacist convictions of the rally's organisers, the very convictions that lead many people into #solidarity with oppressed #Palestinians.
Mass protest rallies always bring the risk of violence from outside agitators & troublemakers. Sure enough, present on the fringes of the crowd this afternoon were numerous groups of intimidating armed figures in dark clothing, members of a notoriously #racist organisation, responsible for many violent deaths & injuries, and for causing countless incidents at a variety of political gatherings. It's an old organisation that has not (as far as I'm aware) ever publicly renounced its historical participation in genocidal violence. Fortunately, I believe today's gathering proceeded without the #NSWpolice stirring up any further trouble.
[Clare Nowland, 95, was home in Yallambee Lodge in Cooma when staff called NSW Police to the facility on Wednesday.
Ms Nowland, who has lived at the aged care facility for more than five years, was believed to have been carrying a knife when officers tasered her.
She was taken to Cooma Base Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.]
I know we shouldn't comment until all of the facts are known, but I'm having a hard time understanding why ANY Police officer would ever, EVER have to use a taser on a 95-year old woman. With or without a knife.
The Police shouldn't have even been called! STAFF should have been able to deescalate that situation without breaking a sweat. Disarm her, sit her down with a nice cuppa, record the incident in the daybook. Done.
Hell, I could do it and I'm a 64-year old who's 65 kg wringing wet!