By Amber Schultz, Michael McGowan, Jessica McSweeney and Kayla Olaya
Police have declared a critical incident after a former Greens candidate sustained a serious eye injury during an altercation between police and pro-Palestine activists in Sydney’s west.
Hannah Thomas was injured during a protest in Belmore on Friday morning and underwent surgery at Bankstown Hospital and has said she may lose vision in her right eye.
The incident was declared critical after the 35-year-old’s solicitor provided medical information to police on Monday afternoon.
The documents were reviewed by the NSW Police medical officer, who determined the level of injury warranted a critical incident declaration.
Critical incidents are events which involve a member of the police force that result in the death of or serious injury to a person.
A critical incident team from Campbelltown City Police Area Command will conduct the investigation, which will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and overseen by the Law Enforcement Conduct Committee.
Speaking from her hospital bed on Sunday evening after undergoing eye surgery, Thomas blamed “draconian protest laws” for her injury.
“I’m five foot one. I weigh about 45 kilos. I was engaged in peaceful protest, and my interactions with NSW Police have left me potentially without vision in my right eye, permanently,” Thomas said on her Instagram.
“I look like this now because of Chris Minns and Yasmin Catley and their draconian anti-protest laws and their attempts to demonise protesters, especially protesters for Palestine. They’ve emboldened the police to crack down with extreme violence and brutality, and they were warned that those laws would lead to this outcome.”
Thomas stood for the Greens against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at last month’s federal election. She is the daughter of former Malaysian attorney general Tommy Thomas.
The confrontation occurred in Belmore outside SEC Plating, which protesters say supplies plating services for F-35 jets used by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).
New video of the event shows a protester being grabbed after questioning what legislation officers were citing to issue move-on orders.
The video shows police telling the protesters they were being issued a move-on order, but failing to provide them with details, simply saying they needed to leave the suburb of Belmore “for 24 hours”.
“You’re making shit up,” one protester said.
Hannah Thomas, with a bruised and swollen eye and a bloodied face, sits in an ambulance after being arrested during a protest in Belmore on Friday. The phone camera has flipped the image.
“If you’re not educated, go read something,” the male officer responded.
Activist Zack Schofield asked police to cite the legislation that empowers officers to issue move-on orders.
“Can you name it, please, because this is actually counter to LEPRA [the Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act],” he said.
In response, the male officer grabbed Schofield by the upper arm, pulling him away. A scuffle broke out between protesters and officers.
Five people, including Thomas, have been charged with a range of offences. She will appear at Bankstown Local Court on August 12.
Questions have been raised about whether new powers aimed at stopping protests at places of worship were used to justify breaking up Friday’s demonstration.
SEC Plating is opposite the Teebah Islamic Association Mosque on Lakemba Street in Belmore. A police factsheet for one of the other protesters seen by the Herald cited a “place of worship” in a document describing the arrest.
However, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said none of the five protesters charged were issued with offences under the new legislation. Police maintain they were issued move-on orders for allegedly attempting to block pedestrian access to the business.
“The group of protesters have chosen over the last three months to engage in a number of protests and have refused [to submit authorisation paperwork],” he said.
Greens MP Sue Higginson (left) has demanded all charges laid against the protesters be withdrawn.Credit: Janie Barrett
“There is no doubt that the injury was sustained during the course of her arrest. We’re now looking to understand the full circumstances as to how that took place,” McFadden said, adding police were sweeping social media and analysing videos.
McFadden said police were previously unable to declare a critical incident as Thomas hadn’t provided medical records to police.
Greens MP Sue Higginson said she welcomed the declaration after writing to Premier Chris Minns on Monday morning to demand that all charges laid against protesters be withdrawn.
“I welcome the declaration that the police assault of Hannah Thomas has been declared a critical incident, but this must be recognised as the minimum requirement when police actions cause serious injury,” she said.
“It concerns me deeply that the police in announcing the critical incident have referred to the protest at Belmore ‘unauthorised’ … It’s important to remember people do not need authorisation to hold a protest.”
Premier Chris Minns has refused to condemn the actions of police while an investigation was ongoing.Credit: News Corp Australia
Speaking at an event on Monday, Minns denied police used the new laws during the Belmore protest. He said he was sorry that Thomas was injured, but refused to condemn the actions of police while an investigation was ongoing.
“My understanding is [police were called] because there was a series of protests in front of a private business. In the state, they are entitled to protest, but businesses in NSW are entitled to run their companies as well,” he said.
“If we get to the point where it is the law to allow in all circumstances a private firm to be interrupted whenever and wherever a protest wants to take place, you’d appreciate that puts us and it puts police in a terrible position.”
The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission said it had been notified of the critical incident and would be independently monitoring the investigation.
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