Former Greens candidate horrifically injured during arrest at pro-Palestine protest hits out at NSW Premier from her hospital bed
A former Greens candidate, who was left with a serious eye injury after being arrested by police at a pro-Palestine rally has unleashed at NSW Premier Chris Minns.
Hannah Thomas has undergone surgery following the injury suffered during the protest in Sydney's south-west, outside Lakemba business, SEC Plating, which the Greens have accused of supplying materials used by the Israeli military.
Ms Thomas, who challenged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at the last election, is at risk of losing vision in her right eye, following the clash with police.
She has since issued with a court attendance notice by police and charged with hinder/resist police and refuse/fail to comply with direction to disperse. She is expected to appear in Bankstown Local Court on August 12.
'I just wanted to say thanks so much for the overwhelming support I've received... I've been lucky to be looked after so well by the staff at the hospital,' she said from her hospital bed on Sunday.
'I don't want to go into too much detail about the traumatic events on Friday, but, I'm 5'1' and I weigh 45kg. I was engaged in a peaceful protest and the actions of NSW Police have left me potentially without vision in my right eye permanently.
'This is because of Chris Minns and (police minister) Yasmin Catley and their draconian anti-protest laws.
'The anti-protest laws aren't just a threat to people protesting for Palestine, but for any person who wants a safer world for all of us.'
Police issued a move-on direction to the group of around 50 protestors at about 5.35am on Friday to disrupt the alleged unauthorised protest.
The NSW Greens claimed Lakemba business was involved in the supply chain to make Israeli fighter jets.
Ms Thomas allegedly refused to comply with the order and sustained facial injuries when she was arrested before being taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment.
A photo of Ms Thomas on Saturday showed the severity of her injuries, with her entire right eye closed, swollen and bloody, while she sat in the back of an ambulance.
The right side of her face was also covered in blood while her eye was black.
NSW Greens MP Sue Higginson wrote to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb and Police Minister Yasmin Catley to complain about the actions of the officers at the rally.
'I am writing to you to express my deep concern that no critical incident has been declared following the (alleged) assault by NSW Police against a community member at a public assembly in Belmore,' Ms Higginson wrote.
'As you know, a critical incident is an incident involving a NSW police officer that results in the death or serious injury of a person.
'Having witnessed the grievous injuries (allegedly) caused by the police to Hannah Thomas, spoken to on ground witnesses who witnessed what occurred and with the knowledge that Hannah has experienced serious injuries and hospitalisation, I am calling for a critical incident to be declared urgently.'
Four others were arrested and charged during the protest, including a 24-year-old man who was allegedly found in possession of a stolen police body-worn camera.
Police said the camera was stolen by an unknown protester during a scuffle and was tracked to the 24-year-old's location.
It is not clear exactly what caused Ms Thomas' injuries but doctors are reportedly fearing she may not regain sight in her right eye.
The Greens meanwhile have said they have spoken with lawyers to potentially represent Ms Thomas and the other protesters who were arrested during the incident.
Ms Thomas has attended anti-Israel protests in the past, having called on Australia to impose sanctions on Israel, whose government she accused of genocide.
She was among dozens of demonstrators who descended on Albanese's electorate office to demand action after Greta Thunberg's 'Freedom Flotilla' was seized by Israeli defence forces earlier this month.
A spokesperson for NSW Police previously told Daily Mail Australia: '[Ms Thomas] sustained facial injuries while being arrested for allegedly failing to comply with a police direction and the arrest was discontinued and (she) was taken to Bankstown hospital for treatment.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Judges rule against Palestinian human rights group's claim that the UK is illegally arming Israel
A Palestinian human rights group lost its legal challenge on Monday to the British government's decision to supply Israel with parts for F-35 fighter jets and other military equipment. Al-Haq alleged that the U.K. broke domestic and international law and was complicit in atrocities against Palestinians by allowing essential components for the warplanes to be supplied to Israel. The government said the ruling showed it had rigorous export rules and it would continue to review its licensing agreements, a spokesperson said. The government last year suspended about 30 of 350 existing export licenses for equipment deemed to be for use in the conflict in Gaza because of a 'clear risk' the items could be used to violate international humanitarian law. Equipment included parts for helicopters and drones. But an exemption was made for some licenses related to components of F-35 fighter jets, which are indirectly supplied to Israel through the global spare parts supply chain and have been linked to bombing the Gaza Strip. While Al-Haq argued the U.K. shouldn't continue to export parts through what they called a 'deliberate loophole' given the government's own assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law, the government said the parts were distributed to a collaboration involving the U.S. and six other partners to produce the jets. Components manufactured in the U.K. are sent to assembly lines in the U.S., Italy and Japan that supply partners — including Israel — with jets and spare parts, the court said. Two High Court judges ruled that the issue was one of national security because the parts were considered vital to the defense collaboration and the U.K.'s security and international peace. They said it wasn't up to the courts to tell the government to withdraw from the group because of the possibility the parts would be supplied to Israel and used to violate international humanitarian law in Gaza. 'Under our constitution that acutely sensitive and political issue is a matter for the executive, which is democratically accountable to Parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not for the courts," Justices Stephen Males and Karen Steyn wrote in a 72-page judgment. Al-Haq and the groups that supported it, including U.K.-based Global Legal Action Network, Amnesty International and Oxfam, described the ruling as a disappointing setback, but said they had already made significant gains in getting the government to suspend some arms exports to Israel and they vowed to continue pressing their case. 'Despite the outcome of today, this case has centered the voice of the Palestinian people and has rallied significant public support, and it is just the start," said Shawan Jabarin, general director of Al-Haq. 'We continue on all fronts in our work to defend our collective human values and work towards achieving justice for the Palestinians.' Compared with major arms suppliers such as the U.S. and Germany, British firms sell a relatively small amount of weapons and components to Israel. The Campaign Against Arms Trade nonprofit group estimates that the U.K. supplies about 15% of the components in the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, including its laser targeting system.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Judge grants Palestine Action urgent hearing to try to stop ban taking effect
Palestine Action has been granted an urgent high court hearing on Friday to try to prevent a banning order against the direct action protest group coming into effect. An order is due to be laid before parliament on Monday which would proscribe the group as a terrorist organisation, making being a member of – or inviting support for – Palestine Action a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail. The move, announced by the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, last week, would place Palestine Action alongside the likes of al-Qaida, Islamic State and National Action. It has been criticised as draconian by protest groups, civil liberties organisations and various politicians. At a short-notice hearing at the high court on Monday, it emerged that Huda Ammori, a co-founder of Palestine Action, is to be given an opportunity to apply for 'interim relief' with respect to the proscription order. David Blundell KC, representing the Home Office, said that the plan had been for the order to be debated in parliament this week and then signed on Friday to come into effect on Saturday. But the judge, Mr Justice Chamberlain, said if an application by Palestine Action for interim relief on Friday was successful it would 'have the effect of suspending its [the order's] operation'. Ammori's lawyers contend 'there has been a failure of the duty to inform the claimant of the basis on which it is proposed to restrict her rights through proscription' and to 'afford her the opportunity to make representations before any decision to restrict her rights'. The submission also states that while 'extensive consultation has taken place with the Israeli government and arms companies … no opportunity has been provided for other groups affected or concerned by the proposal to proscribe Palestine Action, including Liberty, Amnesty International and other civil society organisations'. Liberty, Amnesty International and the European Legal Support Center have submitted supporting witness statements for Ammori's case alleging the unlawful misuse of anti-terror measures to criminalise dissent, Palestine Action said. Ammori said: 'The court's decision to grant an urgent hearing this week is indicative of the vital importance of what is at stake in this case, including the far-reaching implications any proscription of Palestine Action would have on fundamental freedoms of speech, expression and assembly in Britain. 'This is the first attempt in British history to criminalise direct action, political protest, as terrorism, mimicking many authoritarian regimes around the world who have used counter-terrorism to crush dissent. This would set an extremely dangerous precedent, with repressive impacts right across the Palestine movement.' 'Spraying red paint on war planes is not terrorism. Causing disruption to the UK-based arms factories used by Israel's largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems, is not terrorism.' Palestine Action says it uses direct action to seek to prevent serious violations of international law by Israel in and against the Palestinian people. Cooper took the decision to ban it under anti-terrorism laws three days after the group claimed an action against military aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. Five people have been arrested in connection with the incident. Cooper said there had been 'a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action'. Another hearing has been scheduled for 21 July when Ammori would seek permission for a judicial review to argue that the proscription order should be quashed.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Labour minister: Bob Vylan Glastonbury comments ‘crossed line'
Punk rap duo Bob Vylan led chants of "free, free Palestine" and "death, death to the IDF" during their Glastonbury Festival performance. Labour's women and equalities minister Jacqui Smith said that the comments "crossed the line" and "overstepped the mark". The BBC, which broadcast the performance live, said it will not make the performance available on demand. Glastonbury Festival said it was "appalled" by Bob Vylan 's actions, and Avon and Somerset Police are currently assessing videos of the performance. Watch the video in full above.
