Violence against Protestors was Unprovoked - Sydney University Protest

Interview with USYD Law Professor Simon Rice
23/10/2020 BY PAUL GREGOIRE

Of late, Sydney University Law Professor Simon Rice has been running an extracurricular project, which involves overseeing some students working on reforming protest laws. Indeed, over recent years, state laws have been gradually encroaching upon the right to demonstrate. 

 So, as there was an on campus USYD student rally organised for 14 October, the professor suggested his students with a focus on protest accompany him to observe the demonstration as part of their research.

To read the entire account please click HERE

 

 Protesting is a fraught activity in light of the Police Violence in each state against protestors. You can almost guarantee you will be assaulted by Police. You will be assaulted even if you are observing, for example taking photographs of the protest. The Police seemingly act how ever they want and when questioned about violence, they deny it. 
Protest Photographs -
 DMjournalism


More Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Historic Bi-Centenary Protest

The Institute Times

Aboriginal People Protest Bicentenary

The Bicentenary of Australia was celebrated on Australian Day in 1988. It marked 200 years since the arrival of the First Fleet of British convict ships at Sydney in 1788.
The Bicentenary celebration day also marked a day of protest by Aboriginal peoples.

Yesterday myself and a friend re watched this video... this was 30 years ago on the 26th January in 1988.  Nothing has gotten better with regards to justice where the remaining nations that are left after colonization genocidal actions by successive governments and the general public at large are concerned.  Ignorance is no longer an excuse when it comes to this serious issue.  This is a crime against humanity.

After you have watched this one above you can click through HERE and go to an SBS site that has another version.


More images @ Eminpee Fotography

http://www.50yearjourney.aiatsis.gov.au/stage5/item5.htm

Not sure why it does not let you play video from here but click through to Vimeo to watch like it says.

Uncle Paul Spearim, Open Letter to NSW Parliament

 

Yaama (Hello)

This is an open letter to the NSW State Parliament.

My name is Paul Spearim and I am a proud descendant of the Gamilaraay Nation of Northern NSW and Southern Queensland.
Through both my parents ancestry I can trace my connection to the Gamilaraay Nation back 3 Generations before the Gamilaraay Nation and Australia was even discovered. With my Gamilaraay connection locked within my Gii (heart) and Dhuwi (soul) my traditional upbringing was always prevalent in all matters relating to myself and my siblings learning song, dance, stories, knowledge and culture of my people.
Over the past 45 years I have maintained a cultural, spiritual and knowledge based connection to my sacred lands, by following the ancient teachings of my Grandparents, Parents, Aunties and Uncles and passing these teachings onto thousands of Gamilaraay people. Whether it be at Moree, Boobera Lagoon, Gunnedah, Biliga, Narrabri, Terrie Hie Hie, Inverell, Tingha, Boggabilla, Mungindi,Walgett and many other small towns and clan group areas that make up our unique sacred lands.
This brings me to the Political concept of what all First Nations people have to deal with when confronting the burden of prove to having a continues connection to their sacred lands. But for me personally this did not begin in 1901 or when the 1967 Referendum took place or when the evil Native Title Legislation was enacted. No, my continued connection goes back to when my Grandparents, Great Grandparents and so on, my Parents, Aunties and Uncles first passed onto me my connection to my songs, dance, stories, knowledge and culture. This just goes to show that the Gamilaraay Nation are a great example of the Oldest Surviving Race of peoples in the world, and how we still have maintained a continues connection to our sacred Gamilaraay lands since Gamilu Bidi-Wii (Creation).
For 3 generation my family have been excluded from the land and stopped from caring for the plants and animals and the purity of our water.
We are calling on you to say GAMIL (no) to anymore destruction occurring in my sacred lands. Sacred sites of very important significants have already been destroyed by Whitehaven, Santos and other Coal mining companies within our nation all with the approval of your colleagues and former politicians.
I wonder if the NSW State Parliament members have ever Maayali (whispered) into there babies/children or grandchildren’s ears, “I love you dearly and I will protect you with all my heart.
Well this is exactly how we as Gamilaraay people feel about our children. But what are we going to protect if you as our political representatives have already approved and desecrated one of our largest 'Birthing Ground's' not more than 5km away from Whitehavens front door.
Again I appeal to all members of the NSW State Parliament when in the future they are asked by there babies/children and grandchildren. “Mum, Dad, Nan, Pop when you where in politics I thought Northern NSW or more importantly the Gamilaraay Nation was unique, once made up of four very rich sustainable eco systems, towards the east is the great dividing ranges with its temperate rainforest and once rich gold and precious gems ladened lands.
In the west is the semi arid red soiled plains, now made famous (sic) for the cattle & sheep grazing industry. To the north is the black soiled plains now know as the food bowl of australia and in the south is the flood plains which is now known as the capital of the cotton industry.
Since this illegal occupation of my once striving landscape began, the famous Guwaydir River, which once stretched from one side of Gamilaraay to the other is almost dry. The Namoi River, which is the important sacred marker for Gamilu Bidi Wii (big and little Light) it is slowing to a very small trickle. The once crystal clear waters of the Barwon the resting place of the underground Seven Rivers is now like a stream and the very large raging Condomine which once proudly flowed into the Wiradjuri Nation is almost gone in some parts.
These where once major waterways and now they are almost dying, because of the introduction of sheep and cattle, the farming industry, cotton and now coal and CSG”.
Also the life giving Great Artesian Basin which carries old stories that relate back to Gamilu Bidi-Wii (Creation) within our sacred lands.
So again I say what is your answer going to be when they say, “WHY DID'NT YOU STOP THIS DESECRATION”.

Source:10,000 Amend
‪
#‎GamilmeansNo‬

As if Baird ever Cared - He wants PROTECTORS jailed for Seven Years!

Whitehaven Coal

Mike Baird, Premier of N.S.W wants to pass dodgy laws specifically directed to protect his mining mates in N.S.W.  This legislation is not about the people, it is about big money.   The mining which he is backing is killing our water and depleting a source of water these mining companies have no rights to and that is ground water.  None of us can live without fresh water.

Latest news on "Groundwater studies show there is a direct link to this and our Earths magnetic field that protects us from radiation."  Professor Andy Baker quotes

Other recent research has measured how the amount of water stored on land has changed. The researchers did this by measuring changes in Earth’s gravity field, using GRACE satellite data from NASA collected between 2002 and 2014.

The gravity field is affected by the amount of groundwater, as well as water in lakes and rivers, with groundwater being by far the largest of the three. Changes in the amount of this water causes small but measurable changes in the Earth’s gravity field. The data show that water stored on land has increased from 2002 to 2014. 
The Conversation Read in full Here

We cannot let them keep going because this activity threatens the entire planet

People will not take this laying down.  Aboriginal people have had enough and have joined with Farmers who have had enough, young people have had enough, doctors have had enough, and mothers have definitely had enough and I am one of these and I know a lot of other mothers who had had enough four years ago.

This sort of rubbish the Baird government are trying to pass off as necessary legislation would put the likes of David Pocock behind bars.  The man stood up for what he believes in because it appeared to him like it does to a lot of us that the government are just not listening to the people. He is no criminal, he is a world famous Rugby Player.

Rugby star @pocockdavid tackles a mining superdigger at Maules Creek http://t.co/yoTfeSNOiP #Whitehaven #coal #leardblockade #rugby

— Matthew Rimmer (@DrRimmer) November 30, 2014

Sending hundreds of ladies who protect peacefully by knitting off to join the ladies at Mulawa or Emu Plains Prison isn't a good look either and what will any of this prove in the long run? 

I will tell you what I think it will prove.  It will prove in the end to make this situation a more serious and dire one where people put their lives on the line.   Its the plot of a very bad nightmare, ugly things are happening all over because of a few greedy faceless men in mining and politics. 

The revolving door just keeps on REVOLVING for these low vibrating entities.  It is time this time wasting was stopped and we looked after the country like David Suzuki said on Triple J at on the science chat on Mornings on Triple J - he said we have to start seeing Earth as our Mother not something that can be continually exploited.

Bellingen Knitting Nannas

Link to the proposed legislation by Mike Baird can be found by clicking HERE
Links List:

• http://theaimn.com/mining-and-politics-are-joined-at-the-hip/

• http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/131a07fa4b8a041cca256e610012de17/a3f6ecf3f449e614ca257f700015556d?OpenDocument

• https://theconversation.com/the-worlds-biggest-source-of-freshwater-is-beneath-your-feet-53874

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Police use Chemical Weapons on Female protestors at Pilliga

 

Two middle aged women were peacefully protesting the Santos Leewood Waste Water Facility which Santos are trying to construct illegally at the Pilliga Forest in North Western NSW.  While protesting they were assaulted by police while in a position from which they could not obey any order to move on  because they were locked on. 

One of the Narrabri Police officers attending, Officer Grant Bell came around from behind and reefed one of the women's sunglasses from her face, while clumsily grabbing her hair and pushing her head backwards he commenced to spray at close range his oleoresin capsicum spray into her eyes and mouth.  If that was not enough violence unleashed by someone acting unbalanced against someone who could not move, he then picked her up and threw her over the machinery whilst her arm was still in the lock on contraption attached to the machine.  This unnecessary action by this officer caused the clearly distressed woman's dress to come off and for her to be fully exposed to all of the Santos workers on site at the time.

The police officer taking this type of action displays he is not in control and shows he could jeopardize work colleagues in a truly dangerous situation if he cannot keep his cool in a peaceful non violent situation, the officer is clearly capable of making very poor decisions in a situation that requires quick evaluation and action. 
The bully tactics by police and government bend this situation to look very much like we Australians have lost our right to protest poor government decisions which we deem to effect everyone across the board.
 

Santos Office at Narrabri

Governments propaganda machine is now trying to convince the general public that people who protest corporate destruction of land and water are environmental terrorists and are lumping them in the same box as Muslim extremists.

These warrior women were attempting to protect the land and water and especially the water of the Great Artesian Basin from contamination by Santos when the attack occurred, they are clearly not terrorists. 

If we are prevented from speaking out then we have lost all of our rights as citizens of this country because we can never speak out with out the fear of punitive and violent action against us. 

Stop Fracking sign at the Tent Embassy Canberra

Media Release:Pilliga Push Mob Protesting Santos

Violent actions by one police officer at yesterday’s peaceful protest against CSG activities in the Pilliga forest in North West NSW has triggered calls for the Government to halt Santos’ operations there, given they are subject to legal challenge and triggering large-scale protest.
Yesterday morning two South Australian women in their 40s were locked on to an excavator at gas company Santos’ controversial Leewood CSG wastewater treatment facility near the Pilliga forest. They were attached to each other through a metal pipe over the arm of the excavator and each had only one arm free.

The women were protesting the construction of the Leewood CSG wastewater facility and the broader plans for 850 CSG wells in the Pilliga forest. The government’s action in approving the facility last year without an Environmental Impact Statement is the subject of a court case, due for a directions hearing in the Land and Environment Court on Friday. Despite the court challenge over the legality of the facility, Santos have begun constructing it, triggering large scale peaceful protest led by Gamiliaraay Traditional Owners and local farmers, joined by people from around NSW and beyond.

The two women at yesterday’s protest attached themselves to machinery at 9am, calling for Santos to withdraw from the Narrabri gas project. By 9.40 police had arrived and all other protesters had been removed from the site. Only minutes after the police requested the women remove themselves, one of the officers had ripped off the sunglasses off Kerri Tonkin, yanked her head back by her hair and pepper sprayed her eyes at close range. Whilst Kerri was shocked, blinded and in extreme pain the two officers lifted her up and threw her over the arm of the excavator whilst her arm was still in the metal pipe.

Kerri Tonkin explains the experience. “Yesterday I was peacefully protesting to protect our land and water from coal seam gas. I was in a vulnerable position with only one arm free and without the freedom to move around. The actions of the police officers were excessive and dangerous. I’m surprised I did leave with a dislocated shoulder or a broken arm.”

Cyd Fenwick was locked with Kerri. “The escalation of the situation by police was sudden and excessive. Police had only just asked us to move before they used this force. There was absolutely no provocation from either of us to result in this heavy response.”

Naomi Hodgson said, “This action by the police is unacceptable: we simply cannot have a situation where Police officers believe they are empowered to physically assault members of the community that pose them no harm – no matter what the circumstances. We will be filing a complaint about this incident, but given the question marks over the legality of the Leewood facility’s environmental approval, and the widespread and committed opposition to it around the region, we’re calling on the NSW Govt to ask Santos to stand down until the court case is heard.

Lawyer for the two women Kira Levin of EDO NSW said “the use of Oleoresin capsicum spray by police at a peaceful environmental protest would appear to be excessive. There is a long history in Australia of police response to environmental protest and pepper spray has not been a part of it.”

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Survival Day 2016

In Deepwater 2016 we stand along side of the rest of the nation who are standing in protest against the crowns theft of a country and the subsequent genocide of people all over this land by the colonizers. 

It is also a day to pay respect  and celebrate the Survival of these very same people.  The Indigenous cultures of Australia are the oldest living cultures in the world. One of the reasons they have survived for so long is their ability to adapt to change.

Its best to do something positive to honor this and so I created.... I feel a connection doing this. 

Where we are here in Deepwater is the established territory of the Ngarabal people, who had occupied and carefully cultivated the country for thousands of years. The Ngarabal name for Deepwater is Talgambuun, meaning dry country with many dead trees.

I pay respects to the Ngarabal elders past and present and say thank you to them for the opportunity to stand today on their land with honor.


I have lived on Gumbaynggirr country for a very long time until recently so I pay my respects to all of the elders in all of those places and say thank you to the land for sustaining me. 

Firstly we hung out our very colourful  flag.  Hanging the flag openly out the front is actually a common occurrence because I am keen to open dialogue with anyone who wants to talk to me about this and the flag is a great talking point for inquisitive people.

I wrote in chalk across our drive way ... "No Pride in Genocide".  and on the footpath Survival Day 2016 to mark the occasion as a day of survival of the first peoples of this land and the desire to see justice for what has occurred here.

I sat outside and made a beautiful bag from plastic bags I had folded and cut to recycle into something very useful instead of it being in an animals stomach and thought all day about the old girls sitting around making things to help them on their daily ritual of taking care of family on country.  Weaving being a skill these ladies all knew well and thrived on teaching their young the skill to pass this on.  So I remembered their spirit while sitting all day and completing the dilly bag.

At all the capital cities around Australia and at various regional areas ceremony was held to mark today as a day of mourning for the Aboriginal Culture nationwide.  Each year more and more people wake up to the fact that Australia Day Celebrations are a smash in the face to the indigenous. 

There is a referendum planned to have the Recognize issue voted on.  Its got to be either thrown out or it has to include the words TREATISE along side of RECOGNIZE  otherwise it is clearly another white man scam to further disenfranchise aboriginal people from their culture.

CULTURE http://australianmuseum.net.au/indigenous-australia-cultural-heritage

Images @ Eminpee Fotography