Sue Higginson demands critical incident be declared after Hannah Thomas taken for surgery, but acting police minister says matter does not ‘meet the threshold’
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A Greens MP has called for an independent investigation intoNew South Walespolice arrests at a protest that resulted in a former Greens candidate being taken to hospital with serious facial injuries.
Sue Higginson says a critical incident should be declared after Hannah Thomas, who ran against Anthony Albanese in the Sydney electorate of Grayndler, sustained facial injuries during arrest at a protest on Friday. Theprotest was outside a business in Belmoreaccused of “supplying electroplating and surface coating services for a variety of applications including aerospace and defence technology” to Israel.
In a letter sent to the state’s police watchdog, police commissioner and police minister on Saturday, Higginson labelled the policing of the protest “excessive, unnecessary, and potentially constitute an unlawful exercise of authority to intimidate”.
“Having witnessed the grievous injuries caused by the police to Hannah Thomas, spoken to on ground witnesses who witnessed what occurred, and with the knowledge that Hannah has experienced serious injuries and hospitalisation, I am calling for a critical incident to be declared urgently,” Higginson said in the letter, seen by Guardian Australia.
The acting police minister, Tara Moriarty, told Guardian Australia late on Saturday that such a declaration was “an operational matter” for NSW police.
“A critical incident is specifically defined and the declaration is based on medical advice,” Moriarty said.
“I am advised that based on the medical advice the NSW Police has received, this matter does not currently meet the threshold.
“This decision can be reviewed by the Region Commander based on further medical advice that may be provided.”
NSW police said in a statement late on Saturday: “The matter remains under review and police are seeking further information. If and when a critical incident is declared, that will be a decision of the Region Commander.”
Higginson called for an investigation “to avoid further horrific instances of innocent people being seriously injured”.
Police on Fridaysaid Thomas, 35, sustained facial injuries during the arrest and was taken to Bankstown hospital for treatment.
A photo of Thomas online showed her eye swollen shut and with blood on her face before she was taken for surgery. Video of the incident, which Higginson sharedon social media, showed multiple police dragging one of the protesters, as onlookers repeatedly shouted “get off her” and “let go of her”.
In a statement on Friday, police said: “As police attempted to arrest the protesters who were not complying with the directions, a scuffle ensued between police and protesters, during which a police body worn camera was taken by an unknown protester.”
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Higginson had on Friday said the protest was peaceful and claimed Thomas was the “victim of brutal excessive force by the police”.
“The prognosis provided to family earlier was that they could not tell the extent of her injuries until there was a full examination because the swelling was too severe and that it was possible she may lose vision in that eye.
“That she may have sustained injuries to the bones of her face, but nothing has been confirmed at this point.”
According to NSW police, officers issued a move-on direction to the protesters at 5.30am on Friday. The force alleged the protest, which attracted between 50 and 60 people, was “unauthorised”, as those involved had not given advanced notice nor submitted a form that protected them from being charged under anti-protest laws.
Thomas allegedly declined to comply with the order and was forcibly removed and arrested.
In NSW, people who wish to stage a protest are encouraged to lodge a “notice of intention to hold a public assembly” with the police commissioner in advance of the demonstration.The state’s permit system haspreviously come under fire for being “undemocratic”, with the Minns Labor government urged to scrap it for a human rights charter like those that exist in Victoria and Queensland.
Higginson’s Saturday letter suggested the incident occurred “due to the political decisions taken by the Minns Government, in continuing to pass unnecessary laws that target and vilify peaceful protest and non-violent civil disobedience”.
“This has caused officers of the NSW police to feel empowered and protected to go beyond the powers that the law bestows on them,” she wrote.
All five people arrested on Friday were granted conditional bail to appear before Bankstown local court on 15 July.
The NSW Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (Lecc) was contacted for comment.
Earlier this year an international campaign urgednations that produce F-35 fighter jets to stop supplying Israel.
SEC Plating told Guardian Australia on Friday that: “We have no involvement in providing plating services for various parts used in the F-35 Jet program.”“We do not have any business servicing F-35 components,” the business added. “We do have business servicing some Australian defence manufactures however F-35 components are not part of this.”
