Hobart death in custody

By Ben Courtice

HOBART — On March 22, a 23-year-old man died in a police cell here. The death made headlines when, the next day, a "street gang" (his friends) went on what the local media described as a "rampage through city streets", overturning a car and "threatening" a number of people (especially the police). Many arrests were made as dozens of police units converged on the city centre.

Police claim there were no suspicious circumstances in the youth's death — he is said to have choked on his own vomit. They have responded by calling for "adequate facilities" to deal with drunks, such as a proper care centre, thus declaring themselves free from responsibility.

From GLW issue 225