NSW Police criticised for manhandling protestor with baby
Image: Instagram, @dylaninnerwest
by GRACE JOHNSON
NSW Police have been heavily criticised after forcibly trying to remove a pro-Palestine protestor with a baby while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was speaking at a park opening.
Images and videos have circulated on social media since yesterday (Monday 4 December), when the prime minister officially opened the long-awaited Lewis Herman Reserve in Ashfield, Australia’s first purpose-built dementia park.
A local resident attended the opening and, as the prime minister spoke, held up a sign saying “Shame Albo” with a painted watermelon, a symbol of Palestine.
According to Councillor Dylan Griffiths, who posted about the event and a video of the attempted removal, within a minute the police made their way over to the protestor and her baby and attempted to take her sign and move her on.
“While holding her baby, police attempted to forcibly remove her. It was rough. I went over and told the police to leave her alone (they did, after the failed removal), and stood next to her during ceremony,” wrote Cr Griffiths on Instagram.
The councillor also expressed his shock that the prime minister didn’t say anything.
“It doesn’t matter if you are being protested, Albo had the mic and he should have said something. It was just a sign,” he said.
Frustration has been mounting in the community as tens of thousands of people urge the Australian Government to call for a ceasefire in Palestine, but to no avail.
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