Failed senate candidate Raina Cruise has case to answer over alleged assault, court finds

Footage of an unsuccessful anti-vax senate candidate allegedly assaulting a police officer has been released by a court. WARNING: Strong language.

Vision of failed Senate Candidate Raina Cruise’s alleged assault on a female police officer – during which she allegedly ripped patches of hair out of her scalp – has been released by a court.

Ms Cruise, 38, had appeared in court on Wednesday where she told a court she had no case to answer over the October 17, 2021 incident on Rundle St. During that hearing three videos of the alleged assault were played on a laptop for Magistrate Briony Kennewell.

On Thursday, the court released the vision – which was captured on the body-worn cameras of two police officers, and a police security camera.

The footage shows Ms Cruise arguing with two police officers.

She can be heard asking the female officer “are you a person?” and “are you a robot?” before telling the officer to “get your filthy hands off me” as the officer asks her to produce her identification.

She then reaches towards the officer and a scuffle ensues.

Ms Cruise is then heard saying “don’t you f--king touch me, bitch” and “you want a f--king go, bitch?”, and “f--king, I’ll go you, motherf--ker”.

Later, she’s heard telling the officer: “I’ll smash you, one-on-one”, and once she is restrained, she tells the officer “you are so f--king weak”.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Karen Ingleton, prosecuting, said Ms Cruise was “aggressive, obnoxious and otherwise in (the officer’s) face”.

She said that the officer was responding to Ms Cruise’s aggressive behaviour when she moved to arrest her, after Ms Cruise had raised her arms.

Ms Ingleton said Ms Cruise lashed out, knocking the officer’s police cap from her head.

“(She) eventually grabs her by the hair and drags her to the ground,” she said.

“Despite a number of directions to let her go and get off, Ms Cruise does not do that and ultimately rips hair from (the officer’s) head.”

Ms Cruise, who ran for a senate seat for the Informed Medical Opinions Party, allegedly assaulted two security guards while she was being ejected from the Exeter Hotel after pulling a face mask from a bartender.

Raina Jane Cruise leaves the Adelaide Magistrates Court: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Police later went to talk to her, before she allegedly fought with a female police officer and pulled two portions of hair from her head. The court has previously heard the officer was left “without part of her scalp”.

Andrew Graham, for Ms Cruise, told the court the case against his client should be thrown out because the police officer’s attempt to arrest her was unlawful.

He said the officer failed to ask Ms Cruise for personal details before threatening to arrest her for failing to provide them. Instead, he said the request was made by a male officer to Matthew Stephen Priest, who was with Ms Cruise.

“No request for personal details was made of Ms Cruise at any stage,” he said.

“It can’t be said in making that threat to arrest her that (the officer) was acting in the lawful exercise of her duty,” he said.

He said the officer made the first physical contact with Ms Cruise, pushing her towards a wall, which was “plainly not in the exercise of her duty” and that she was “not acting lawfully”.

However, Ms Kennewell found Ms Cruise had a case to answer.

Images from anti-vax political candidate called Raina Cruise’s Instagram account, showing bra made from masks.

Political advertising from Raina Cruise’s Instagram account.

Ms Cruise is facing charges including causing harm with intent, aggravated assault and failing to provide personal details.

The mother of three previously posed on social media in a makeshift Covid mask bra, saying she had “worked out” how to wear them.

Mr Priest is also facing charges over the incident. The pair will return to court next month.

Originally published as Failed senate candidate Raina Cruise has case to answer over alleged assault, court finds