TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Monday, February 16, 2004

11:49 AM
Posted by jodi rose

Riots in Redfern.
Local news, for anyone not in Australia. Last night, sitting on the balcony with Lisa and Lou, we heard the strange alarm and smelt smoke as redfern railway station was set alight. The girls walked the two blocks down to eveleigh st early this morning, no-one could sleep with the chopper searchlights circling overhead for hours. And it was one of those hot nights, temperature didn't fall below 25 degrees. Someone filmed a man being arrested who had literally just come out of his house to see what was going on - he was koori - surprise, surprise, and an indigenous woman who told the cops she needed to go down the block to the jilawa (toilet), they arrested her too. So much for 'gang leaders' being 'put away.' Yes, I usually avoid commenting on politics or news; but this is happening in my backyard.

It's tragic and shocking that Thomas Hickey died the night before, and with at least five witnesses who say they saw the police chasing him down a lane-way, one has to wonder how much force it would take for a person to come off their bicycle and be impaled on a fence at least 6 feet above the ground - it's not the kind of injury you get just falling off your bike. And it's also pretty hard to fall UP and onto your back, usually you fall down and forward. Australia is such a deeply racist country, it's extremely sad that such avoidable deaths are still commonplace amongst the Aboriginal community. And the riots could well be averted if the police came out with some kind of expression of sympathy and regret, instead of just denying any involvement. Regardless of the person's background and wether any warrant is out for their arrest, it's a matter of basic human rights to not be subjected to intimidation and harrassment. TJ had been arrested about 8 months ago, when 5 police crash-tackled him to the ground - a friend who filmed the arrest later had her tape confiscated by the police as 'evidence'. I think it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Last week one of the art students at Eora killed himself - well it may have been 3 weeks ago, but the funeral was last tuesday. And now this. Word on the street is that bigger, more organised action is planned for tonight. Another lock-down of the area, more kids getting in trouble, the cycle continues. There are some newspaper reports here:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/15/1076779843405.html

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/16/1076779871165.html