To mark 10 years since his uncle, Dunghutti man David Dungay jnr, was murdered at Long Bay jail, Paul Silva organised a protest at Hyde Park on January 16, which also challenged NSW’s new draconian anti-protest laws.
Silva refuses to accept that justice has still not been done; no one has been charged with Dungay jnr’s murder.
A couple of hundred people attended to call for an end to all deaths in custody and for justice and accountability for Dungay jnr’s murder.
Aboriginal deaths in custody are at record levels, with last December’s Australian Institute of Criminology report showing 33 Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people died in custody over 2024–25 — the highest in four decades.
Speakers included Greens Member of the Legislative Council Sue Higginson, Aboriginal justice activist Paddy Gibson and Dunghutti man Rick Hampson snr.
Higginson said she had asked the Aboriginal affairs minister David Harris about the “appalling rate of deaths in custody” and his response was that: “Things might have to get worse before they get better.”
“This government has no shame about how racist their laws are,” Higginson said.
Hampson, father of the late Ricky “Dougie” Hampson jnr, told how his son had died after being mistreated in hospital on August 16, 2021. “My son was given a fatal misdiagnosis — a death the coronial inquest found as ‘preventable’ … We’re still waiting for justice.”
More than 100 police and 12 mounted police were deployed to Hyde Park in a bid to intimidate protesters and passersby.
Silva had called the rally before Labor rushed through its new anti-protest laws on December 24, which give the police commissioner extraordinary powers to ban marches after a terrorist incident, for up to three months. If a protester does not comply with a “move on” order, they can be arrested and charged.
Silva, who had submitted a Form 1, told the ABC on January 8 the protest would march, “because we believe these [anti-protest] laws are inhumane”. Silva said his application had been rejected with no reason given. A Form 1 alerts police to the public assembly and march route.
Silva announced to the rally that he wanted to march to the Domain and that the rally should respect the road rules and any “move-on” orders given by police. He led the protest up to police who were blocking the exit from Hyde Park. After an attempt to urge police to respect the right to protest, Silva said it was safest to disperse.
“I don’t want anyone being attacked and unfortunately these laws will allow that,” he told the crowd. “As you can see, there is a large contingent of police behind me and behind you as well.” The rally dispersed and no one was arrested.
Silva called on called on people to mobilise in big numbers for the Invasion Day rally on January 26, saying it had to be huge to send a clear message about the need for justice for First Nations peoples and for protest rights.