Quote:
Originally posted by grumpyolddude
Do any reports speak about what the young man was doing that attracted the attention of the police? Or are the police claiming that the kid just started fleeing for no due cause? Has there been a history of tension between that particular community and the police... that is ... above and beyond the white vs aborigine animosity.
You stated it yourself: a new approach is needed. But answering violence with violence won't solve anything. Are you going to lock up an entire town?
Anger is a legitimate reaction, but it's going to require cool heads on both sides to get past this incident and address the underlying problems of the racial divisiveness.
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Yes they do and as documented he was doing nothing and did not attract anyone's attention.
He just bolted and minutes later he collided into a fence.
The history is such that he had a warrant out but the police paid him no mind and continued on their way.
The officers in question no doubt had to go back and deal with the tradgedy on the spot after the event.
Picture that scene.
As for the violence on behalf of the police there simply wasn't any.
In the past the NSW police force has been criticized for dealing with such situations with force but had (at the demand of the NSW government) to undergo a massive re-training on the whole approach to the dealing and handling of riotous events involving indigenous peoples.
The end result here is a no brainer.
Riotous behaviour this time was never going to be challenged and the people that spent the whole afternoon filling up wheelie bins full of weapons knew this very well.
Quote:
Originally posted by lurkette
Thanks, grumpyolddude, for the voice of reason.
First, I think referring to the community as "animals" is irresponsible use of language (given the history of white philosophy about indigenous peoples) and displays a lack of understanding of the motivations in the situation.
The "victim" card has two sides. When the police and the white community fails to acknowledge the perceptions of the aboriginal community, and fails to take responsibility for their own actions in light of those perceptions, the past perception is reinforced. Is violence a justifiable response? No. Neither is pretending that racial tensions don't exist and carrying on as usual. One side has to blink first to make progress, and it usually has to be the side with the most power.
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lurkette,
The individuals that I refer to as animals are the ones that pelted unsuspecting motorists with rocks and bottles as they made their way through the suburb.
Individuals that plotted and planned for a confrontation with the police knowing full well the new restrictions put into place that prevent officers from using force.
Individuals that do not belong in this community.
I understand totally what the issue is and as someone that can relate and bring forth some passion on a global scale here,I also acknowledge my lack of foresight for jumping on a high horse and engage my anger in a way that is not constructive in the first instance.
I am so close to this on a personal scale and that,in effect,is why I have related the story here.
But there is simply no excuse for individuals anywhere to behave like this.
The police "blinked" this time and were taken advantage of.