A day after police issued a statement commending the public on the “general good behaviour” of attendees at last weekend’s 35th Annual Sydney Mardi Gras, a video appeared on Facebook and YouTube depicting the violent arrest of a young man who appears to have sustained a serious head injury as a result of alleged police brutality. The video has today prompted the launch of two internal police investigations, a sad irony considering the original conditions under which the Mardi Gras was forged (that is, in direct opposition to police brutality).
The footage was reportedly filmed between 11-11:30pm on Saturday night at the intersection of Oxford and Riley St., and depicts a police officer throwing a hand-cuffed 18-year-old man from the Sutherland Shire to the ground before standing on his back. Much to his chagrin, the officer is wholly aware of his being filmed and repeatedly asks the man filming, identified by himself only as The Media, to stop while a woman unknown to the man narrates the scene out of frame. What happens before or after the video remains, obviously, unclear.
New South Wales Police this morning released a statement saying the man in the video has been charged with assaulting police, resisting arrest and using offensive language and is due to face court on April 1st.
“Following vision of the event being made available to police, an internal investigation will be launched to determine the full circumstances leading up to and surrounding the incident,” a police spokesman said. “This incident is quite distressing and our thoughts are with the individual, his family, friends and those that witnessed this.“
Another man, reported by samesame.com.au to be leading gay activist Bryn Hutchinson, has also come forward with allegations that he suffered police brutality, telling Fairfax:
“I was kicked several times. I was handcuffed and had my face pushed into the ground. I had a police officer leaning on me. I told him I couldn’t breathe. He said, ‘If you can talk you can breathe.”
Sydney MP Alex Greenwhich has expressed his extreme distress over the video and both incidents, saying “I am aware and my office has been contacted by others who have experienced similar interactions with police during Mardi Gras. Hopefully those matters will also be investigated.“
At the time of writing, Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch and Police Chief Superintendent Donna Adney held a press conference to address the furore surrounding the incident.
In regards to the officer on film, Commissioner Murdoch said “He will be given an opportunity to account for his actions” in what Chief Superintendent Adney called “an isolated albeit important incident [that is] being appropriately investigated,” one that was reportedly instigated by the police after viewing the footage, as opposed to a community complaint.
Contrary to a statement issued by Mardi Gras organiser Peter Urmson, who told The ABC “This year [police presence was] increased to 1200,” Commissioner Murdoch maintained that less than 1100 officers were used; a number “commensurate with previous events” and one formed “on the basis of risk assessment.” He also maintained that people should not jump to conclusions on the basis of what is seen in this video. He did, however, concede it was wrong for the officer to tell people to stop filming.
Eleven hours ago on his (very public) Facebook page, the man at the centre of the video wrote he “had the worst night my life,” and asked the universe, “IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING!!!!”
Sadly, yes, it is.
