Page 5185 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 27 November 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
offered them to the demonstrators because a few of them had come on on the morning shift. Most of the demonstrators refused; some of them throwing the hamburgers down on the ground. One young bloke, of about 18, accepted; but his mates around him turned on him with absolute hatred on their faces because he accepted the hamburger from the police.
When some of these demonstrators were running onto the road - this was at lunchtime today - the police would go out there and try to stop them. When the police would get to within about six feet of them, some of the demonstrators would contort their faces, which then shows up as pain in photographs, scream, and throw themselves on the ground. Police would pick them up and carry them back to the footpath.
My assistant told me that the police are certainly losing a lot more skin than the protesters. There are both sexes of police officers there, police men and women. Again, today, we had another broken arm for a policewoman, and three more broken wrists. I was disturbed to hear, also, that some demonstrators are now throwing balloons filled with acid at police and that police have been burned.
MR SPEAKER: Call in the troops.
MR STEFANIAK: A lot of people in the community are saying, Mr Speaker, "Why are not the army involved?". I keep telling them that we are a democracy and you have to go a hell of a long way before troops are called out in aid of the civil power; but maybe we are not too far away from that.
I was sickened, also, to receive a press release from two Democrats, Tony Coles and Senator Sid Spindler, although it does not, unfortunately, surprise me. They were crowing about how Democrat Senators Spindler, Karin Sowada, whom I have never heard of, and Robert Bell, along with what they call Gulf war campaigner Senator Janet Powell, have all spent time at Aidex demonstrating, adding their support and encouragement to the protesters. How lovely! Local Democrats gladly welcomed the arrival of the senators, according to Mr Coles. He said that the senators have been warmly received by the protesters and that they appreciated the support the Democrats gave them. Other Democrat senators are expected over the next three days, he said.
I was rather annoyed to see this in Mr Coles' press release:
"The last few days of violence and mass arrests have only strengthened the resolve of the protesters", Mr Coles said. "We are hoping that the arrival of the Senators will stop the use of violence by the police and the TRG".
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .