Meeting pledges to fight police racism

Karen Thorpe & Tim Stewart, Brisbane

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", Aboriginal rights activist Murrandoo Yanner told a cheering 200-strong crowd at the Inala Community Centre on April 14. The meeting was organised by the Youth Affairs Network Queensland, One Tribe and the Socialist Alliance.

Yanner gave an in-depth account of the death in custody on Palm Island last November that sparked a massive community fight-back. "No-one has asked why this man — who was a fit footballer who was regularly tackled when playing sport — all of a sudden gets four broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and a liver split clean in two while being arrested by police for a minor charge. A medical specialist likened the injuries to a car crash at 120 kilometres an hour."

Yanner went on to attack all forms of racism. "It's a shame that they lock up refugees from the Middle East and Asia while white Zimbabwean farmers are given motels when fleeing their country." Yanner pointed out that racism is systematic and that "parliament is full of rich, white racists".

"The majority of white people in this country are poor to middle class and struggling, and being left behind by these rich people", he said. Yanner pointed out that it was time to get organised. He urged the crowd to attend rallies and meetings and keep struggling. "I support self-defence, but we have to keep the high moral ground."

Yanner concluded that things are getting far worse. He said that PM John Howard's wiping out of land councils and Aboriginal legal services will lead to a "great increase in our people being incarcerated and being brutalised".

Murri activist and Socialist Alliance member Sam Watson also addressed the meeting, calling for "all of our brothers to come out [of jail] alive" and for the 339 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Black Deaths in Custody to be implemented. He urged people at the meeting not to be victims and to support each other.

Aboriginal pastor Reverend Alex Gator described the harassment suffered by all of her family members. She urged the meeting to stand up to police intimidation. "We should refuse to give up or keep quiet. We must continue to fight for the next generation."

During discussion, people from as far away as Coffs Harbour and Palm Island gave personal accounts of police racism. A man from Western Australia broke down as he recounted his brother's death in a police cell under suspicious circumstances.

Gator's daughter and meeting facilitator Nicole Clevens urged people to continue rallying in support of Indigenous rights. An emergency network was established to respond to police violence and racism, and a rally is being planned. To get involved phone Alex Gator on (07) 3277 1873, Adrian on 0418 715 803 or Paul on (07) 3831 2644.

From Green Left Weekly, April 20, 2005.

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From GLW issue 623