‘What was that?': Fresh details in Greens candidate's injury in protestarrest

News.com.au

2 days ago

Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has revealed new details about the moment she was seriously injured while being arrested during an anti-Israel protest.
Ms Thomas said she didn't know how much vision – if any – she'd be able to recover after the incident left her with a serious injury to her eye.
She had been was protesting outside SEC Plating in Belmore, Sydney on Friday June 27 when she was involved in an altercation with NSW Police.
'It all happened very fast,' Ms Thomas told 10 News+ on Tuesday.
'I remember feeling that impact to my head and just thinking, 'oh my God, what was that'?
'I just could not believe that I'd been punched. That level of force to my head. I just totally did not see it coming. Then I was dragged away to another point.'
She said she then became worried about the injury to her eye.
'At that point I realised the extent, just because of the throbbing, and I was like, 'oh my face just does not feel normal',' she said.
'I think at that point I was already like, 'oh my God, I think my sight might be affected'.'
Protesters claim SEC Plating provides components used in a class of jets operated by the Israeli Defence Force, these claims are strongly denied by the company.
Ms Thomas denied doing anything to provoke the incident such as lashing out or spitting at officers and said the road to recovery remained a daunting prospect.
'Just complete shock. I think that I would have never expected that morning when I went to the protest, that would have been the outcome,' she said.
'Even if I don't lose the eye, I don't know how much vision I'm getting back. I won't know for some months because I'll have at least one more surgery.'
Ms Thomas stood against the Prime Minister in his Sydney seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year.
Although unsuccessful, she is now employed as a media officer for the Greens party.
'I can't look at a screen for too long at the moment, I don't know what happens with my career because of this injury,' she said.
Ms Thomas disagreed with the idea that by refusing move on orders from the police the protesters were putting themselves at risk and said real change was needed to prohibit similar incidents from occurring.
'I mean, I would disagree. I think protest is a fundamental right. And I think what makes us unsafe at protests are police.
'[I would like to see] the charges against me dropped and I would like the officers involved to be charged and taken off duty.
'I think the level of violence towards protesters at the moment is escalated, and it's because [of the] anti-protest laws, which has really licensed police to crack down.
'I think if nothing changes, there'll be more injuries.'
A critical incident team is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and oversighted by the LECC.
Ms Thomas is due in court over the protest on August 12.