Baxter: Police violence dangerous and unnecessary

Baxter: Police violence dangerous and unnecessary

Refugee Action Coalition of NSW

MEDIA RELEASE : 26 March 2005 Protesters condemned the heavy-handed police action at Baxter detention centre today and urged them to consider the possible consequences of such action...

Lucy, a protester from Sydney was taken to hospital after being trampled by a police horse when they charged at the crowd of protesters. Luckily, after two hours in Port Augusta hospital she was released without any serious injury.

“It is a miracle Lucy didn’t suffer a major injury. I saw the police horses hooves trampling on Lucy, I was worried that her back would be broken,” said Mark Goudkamp of the Refugee Action Coalition.

“Another protester has had his arm broken in two places. Surely we should be able to hold a political protest without the police breaking our limbs? This country is meant to be a democracy.

“Our intention was to walk around to the back of the Baxter compound to where the detainees could hear us and we could hear them. We wanted to make contact and let them know that we are here to support them. It was totally unnecessary for the police to attack us.

“It will be clear to most Australians from the television pictures that it is the police who are instigating the violence. Police Assistant Commissioner Gary Burns claims there are violent elements within the protest are hypocritical as it is only the police that have been violent.”

Contact: Mark Goudkamp 0422 078 376 (Baxter)

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