Injured Greens candidate charged, slams ‘draconian’ law
Source: AAP
A former Greens candidate says she may have lost the vision in one eye after being injured in a brutal clash between police and protesters.
Hannah Thomas suffered severe facial injuries while protesting Israel’s war in Gaza on Friday outside an Australian business reportedly linked to the manufacturing of components for fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Forces.
She was one of five people charged over the protest.
The group accuses SEC Plating, in south-west Sydney, of making parts for F-35 jets used by Israel, a claim the company denies.
Thomas, 35, who was the Greens candidate for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s seat of Grayndler, was taken to hospital with injuries suffered during her arrest.
You might like
In a social media post from her hospital bed, Thomas said the critical injury to her right eye could leave her “potentially without vision”, pointing the finger at NSW Premier Chris Minns and Police Minister Yasmin Catley.
“I’m in this position because people like Chris Minns and Yasmin Catley have demonised protesters and passed draconian anti-protest laws, which licence police to crack down on peaceful protest in extremely violent, brutal ways,” she said.
“The anti-protest laws aren’t just a threat to people protesting for Palestine but for any person who wants a safer world for all of us.”
NSW Police said the demonstration at SEC Plating was unauthorised and blocked access to the Belmore business.
Stay informed, daily
“As police attempted to arrest the protesters who were not complying with the directions, a scuffle ensued between police and protesters,” the force said late on Sunday.
Video of the incident shows police dragging one of the protesters as onlookers repeatedly shouted “get off her” and “let go of her”.
Police said Thomas was arrested for not complying with a direction. She has been charged with resisting arrest and will appear at Bankstown Local Court in August.
Footage of Thomas circulating online showed her eye swollen shut and with blood on her face before she was taken to hospital.
NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson labelled the policing “excessive” and has written to Catley, the NSW police commissioner and the state’s police watchdog demanding an investigation.
“I don’t want to get into too much detail about the traumatic events on Friday. But I’m five foot one (155 centimetres), I weigh about 45 kilograms, I was engaged in peaceful protest, and my interactions with NSW Police have left me potentially without vision in my right eye permanently,” Thomas said in a video posted online and shared by Higginson.
NSW Police said the medical advice they had received about the incident did not meet the threshold for a critical incident declaration.
“Should further medical advice be received, the decision can be reviewed,” the force said.
Protest organisers say another protester was grabbed by the neck and choked, while others were knocked to the ground.
All five protesters arrested during the scuffle were granted bail. Four will appear in Bankstown Local Court on July 15.
-with AAP
