>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 6 Nov 1999 14:19:36 +1100
> From: kol <anarki@mullum.com.au>
> Subject: police aggression//
>
> lismore reclaim the street turns to violence...
>
>
> yesterdays first reclaim the street in lismore turned
> violent when police used capsicum spray to break up a small
> but very vocal gathering on the streets in lismores city
> centre..
> around 50 people participating in the event which started
> out very peacefully as a march through town..demanding
> amongst other things an end to recent police haarrassment on
> the streets at night..
> greater bike lanes..more zebra crossings and public toilets
> in the town centre.
> but once a street had been taken over and detours for
> traffic had been set up it all quickly fell into chaos..
> dj's and performers got the party underway and all was well
> for 20 minutes or so until the police pulled down an erected
> tripod with person sitting on top whom fell onto the
> concrete and was later treated by an ambulance..
> 5 minutes into the stand off ..a plain clothes cop sprayed
> the first party/ protester with a capsicum spray..leading to
> more violence and at least 4 others getting sprayed..
> an ambulance treated these people and after about half an
> hour the police got the music turned off and restored the
> peace..
> all bar one of the arrests were later released without
> charges and the party continued in skate park well into the
> early evening..
>
> news reporters were on hand..
> saturdays northern star ran the issue front page..
> channel seven news also gave good coverage as will local abc
> radio on their monday morning current affairs show
> still answers and accountability are needed..
> how can police get away with such out of control aggression
> to a small non violent action..
> whom are they accountable to..
> and when can capsicum spray officialy be used ..
> these questions and more are being chased up at present..
> after last weeks out of control police aggression at the
> byron bay patterson st. development it seems like the idea
> of communication and duel accountability between police and
> protesters has been washed down the toilet...
> where does that leave things now...
>
>