Sydney: Four arrested as protesters clash with police outside Villawood detention centre

25 March 2017 – Protesters have camped outside Villawood detention centre overnight despite the arrest of four people yesterday.

The riot squad was called in at 3.30pm after an initial group of 30 protesters grew to around 70 and began blocking traffic on Birmingham Road.

Police said the group, who were gathered at the detention centre to protest the deportation of a 60-year-old Iraqi man identified only as Saeed, began to impede traffic in and out of the facility.

“This is kind the kind of horrible rise of racism we’re trying to fight here,” Josh Lees, a protester from the Refugee Action Coalition, said.

“We want to see a world of equality and justice not a world of division and hatred and racism.”

Protesters allegedly ignored several move-on directions from police and tried to break a police line, which was formed to allow traffic flow into the facility, just before 7.30pm.

Two men and two women were subsequently arrested.

 

The protesters allegedly tried to break the police line.

The two women, aged 25 and 29, were later released for breaching the peace.

An 18-year-old man, who was chased down a storm drain before being arrested, was charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest. He was granted bail and is expected to front court on April 12.

A 25-year-old man was issued with  a Field Court Attendance Notice for assaulting police.

A police officer suffered minor injuries during the protest.

A small group of demonstrators camped out overnight at the detention centre to continue the protest.

One protester said they were “physically” trying to stop the deportation of the man.

“We’re trying to physically prevent a deportation of man who, if he is deported, his life is at risk,” she said.

“We’re not protesting, we’re actually trying to stop our government from violating international law.”

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection today confirmed Saeed will be deported.

Sydney: Seven arrested after riot against cops

19 March 2017 – Four men and two women have been charged with various offences after allegedly rioting against police who were trying to break up a fight in Sydney’s inner west.

The group of men and women ignored police orders to move on when officers arrived at the Leichhardt street early Sunday.

A riot soon broke out after some of the members tried to stop police attempting to arrest a man who allegedly tried to grab an officer’s gun.

The group was pepper-sprayed but started throwing beer bottles towards police and their cars.

Seven of them were arrested after the riot squad was called in.

Four men were charged with affray and various other offences including resisting police and malicious damage.

One woman was charged with affray and another was charged with assaulting police.

A 25-year-old man was released pending further inquiries.

Sydney: Man to be charged over vandalism of Police Wall of Remembrance

25 May – A man is expected to be charged over the vandalism of the police memorial in Sydney’s Domain that has been defaced twice in four days.

The wall displays the names of dozens of New South Wales police officers who lost their lives on the job, and is the site of the state’s annual National Police Remembrance Day service in September.

On Friday the NSW Police Wall of Remembrance was marked with scratches and abusive messages.

About 11.15pm, officers found the wall had been desecrated further, with black graffiti on the panels and the ground in front of the memorial.

Police believe both incidents are linked.

Earlier in the evening, the 30-year-old man believed to be responsible was arrested near the pedestrian overpass at The Domain following information from the public.

Police said the man resisted arrest and smashed the rear window of a police car as he was being taken to Day Street Police Station.

He was then taken to St Vincent’s Hospital to be treated for a possible medical condition about 11:00pm.

Officers said they expected to charge the man over both incidents once the 30-year-old was released from hospital.

On Saturday, police said the panels would need to be deconstructed and be professionally cleaned.

 

Sydney: Top cop demands ‘justice’ after police memorial vandalism

21 May – A ‘sacred’ memorial honouring NSW police who died on the job may have to be removed after a senseless and insulting desecration, police say.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has made a personal plea seeking justice over the vandalism of the Wall of Remembrance in Sydney’s Domain after it was scratched with glass or a rock by a man on Friday night.

‘There is no more important or sacred place in the country to the NSW Police Force, than this memorial,’ he said on Saturday, joining police and community members in expressing their disgust.

‘The person who has done this knows who they are. I am appalled and saddened that the names of our state’s heroes have been desecrated,’ Commissioner Scipione said.

Earlier, Sydney City Local Area Commander David Donohue said the memorial would likely need to be deconstructed and professionally polished, and that police were considering installing security cameras at the site to protect it in future.

They’ve already released CCTV footage of the man they believe was involved, and have collected fingerprint evidence.

Footage shows a man who ‘walked with a distinctive swagger’ who was also seen falling off his skateboard into oncoming traffic the same afternoon, Supt Donohue said.

‘It’s only a matter of time until we apprehend this person,’ he said.

‘This is a senseless act and an insult to all serving police officers in the state of NSW.’

The man faces a malignant damage charge and up to 15 years in jail.