Thomas Hickey was a 17 year old that lived in "The block" in inner city Redfern,Sydney.
This place is the last refuge of an Aboriginal community wanting to abandon traditional ways in favour of the "White Man" lifestyle they so vehemently oppose.
Government's for years have pilled millions of dollars into various funding programs to try and help,but judging from last night's activities,a new approach is needed.
On Saturday,Thomas was riding his bike through the area when (for reasons only he will ever know) he saw a patroling police car and decided to flee at a great rate as if spooked.
Minutes later he was impaled on a steel fence nearby.
He died later that day.
When news of the tradgedy spread the community,fuelled by alcohol,started to plot revenge for what they saw as "police intimidation".
The new approach in my view is to lock these animals up and send a message to ALL members of the public here.
Who the fuck do these criminal little C....s think they are?
3 million dollars damage to Redfern train station.
Passing motorists the first to pelted with bricks and bottles so as to entrap the police upon their arrival.
They filled wheelie bins full of empty bottles and rocks throughout the day in anticipation of a a full on confrontation with police.
Fifty police were injured with at least 5 serious with broken limbs.
And can you believe this?
Redfern elder Lyle Munro told the crowd gathered at the scene of the riot they should be proud Redfern's young people had stood up to police.
Sorry,but this Aussie has had enough and it's time to call a spade a spade here.
I welcome comments.
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Fifty hurt in inner-Sydney riot
By Scott Jenkins, Paul Colgan and wires
February 15, 2004
A DAY of racial tension spilled over into an evening of violence on the streets of Redfern in inner Sydney last night.
Officers tend to an injured colleague as violence erupts in Redfern overnight.
Eight police officers remain in hospital after a total of 50 were injured trying to subdue a riot near Redfern railway station into the early hours of this morning.
The bridge at the station resembled a military zone as at least 60 officers defended one side of Lawson St, facing about 50 angry local residents.
Armed with bricks, rocks, broken bottles and molotov cocktails, the group threw missiles at police, passing trains, vehicles and businesses.
Four people were in custody this morning, but police said they had identified several others involved in the violence and expected to make more arrests in coming days.
Assistant Commissioner Bob Waites said the violence was sparked by the belief that police had pursued 17-year-old local Thomas Hickey to his death.
"One officer was knocked out by a brick that was thrown through the air and a number of others have got broken limbs, legs," he said.
He also said the rioters appeared to have an endless supply of ammunition.
"They had a number of wheelie bins lined up with paving stones in them - in fact there were eight of those. There were a number of large tubs with beer bottles in them," he said.
The railway station reopened this morning after being shut down last night.
The confrontation escalated at 2am when the angry mob began hurling fireworks and firebombs and spearing burning garbage bins into police lines.
Fire brigade officers attempting to extinguish the fires were pelted with bottles and bricks.
Tragic death
Thomas was impaled on a metal fence on Saturday afternoon in what police said was a tragic but freak accident. But his mother said witnesses saw the teenager being chased by police just before he came off his bicycle and was impaled on the rods of the fence in inner-city Waterloo.
He died in Sydney Children's Hospital early yesterday of chest, neck and internal injuries.
Police held a press conference yesterday to deny officers were pursuing Thomas at the time of the accident but posters began to appear around the suburb, calling them "murderers".
His mother Gail Hickey speaking early today said she planned to go to a lawyer today with a witness claiming to have seen police chasing her son.
The stand-off began shortly after 9pm and for several hours police tried to negotiate with the group, who were shouting "child killers" and "murderers".
Redfern railway station had to be closed to the public after projectiles were thrown at trains. The station was being guarded by riot squad officers last night.
Police officers sent out a "signal one" priority call at 9.04pm after being pelted with bottles, rocks and bricks in Lawson St.
At 9.10pm, police asked RailCorp to prevent trains from stopping at the station because of fears for passenger safety.
At 9.46pm, an ambulance was called to treat five police officers injured by flying projectiles. Two officers were taken to hospital.
At 10pm, fire brigade officers began setting up behind protective police lines while coming under fire from projectiles. At 10.08pm, rioters torched a car.
Late last night, the fire brigade focused a high-beam light into Lawson St to confuse the rioters and hamper their vision.
Extra police were called to control a crowd of observers, some of whom had become unruly.
All duty officers within the metropolitan area were called to the scene to help local officers.
At 12.30pm, riot police charged the group after a barrage of bottles and bricks were thrown.
At 2am when rioters threw fireworks and firebombs into police lines.
With AAP
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