USYD riot police force condemned

University of Sydney students will protest against the presence of riot police on campus in the wake of last Tuesday’s brutal treatment of student picket lines.

Labelled ‘Cops Off Campus’, more than 300 students are expected to meet outside Fisher Library on Thursday before marching onto the office of university Vice-Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence.

Last Tuesday’s protests against the Federal Government’s university funding cuts descended into violent scenes when riot police used force to clear the City Rd and Eastern Ave university entrance.

“The police wanted us to move off the road,” said protestor Tom Raue. “We were stopping cars and speaking to them. They gave us about 30 seconds before they started forcing us [to move].

“One of them grabbed me by the neck and had his hand around my neck, and pulled me down so I was doubled over.

“He had me like that for about a minute and I couldn’t breathe. I was quite terrified. He couldn’t see my face. If I passed out, he probably wouldn’t even have noticed. Luckily though, it transitioned into a more conventional headlock.”

Several students were injured in the scenes, including one protestor who fractured his leg.

David Pink, President of the university’s SRC, said the actions of police were unprovoked.

“Everyone there was abiding by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) picket protocols. The idea is that they can approach the picket line, and we’re allowed to have someone go out and talk to them,” he said.

“There was no student violence at all. The riot police were attacking people completely unprovoked, which is pretty scary for a democracy when people are taking part in fully legal and registered actions.”

Dr Spence said picket line protocols had been breached prior to the use of police force.

“If the [NTEU] protocol had been observed then the blockade and the attempt to clear it would not have occurred,” he said.

“We have no ability to influence the operational decisions of the police. They act in the interest of public safety as they see fit and are answerable to the government and courts as appropriate.”

But Mr Pink and hundreds of students have rejected the notion police acted in isolation. About 500 people have signed a petition calling for Dr Spence “to take responsibility for the safety of the university community, respect our right to protest and cease allowing the police onto the University of Sydney grounds”.

“It was pretty clear on the day that senior university officials were collaborating with the riot squad,” said Mr Pink.

“I saw the head of security talking to the riot police while all the violence was going on.”

Soliman Hardman from the Newtown Local Area Command conceded a mistake was made in deciding to “force the point”.

“We were trying to open the road for the free flow of traffic. Once met with that assistance, we reassessed and made the decision to force the point,” he said.

“It wasn’t the right way to go in the circumstances, so I directed the police not to intervene in that fashion again and we didn’t do that again for the rest of the day.”

By Marcus Braid & Jonathan Mimo