About 150 people rallied outside the home of Sheila Oakley in the Brisbane suburb of Logan on February 15.
Oakley was tasered in the eye by police outside her home on February 6. She has been hospitalised and will suffer permanent disability.
The rally marched from her home to Logan police station to hand over a petition calling for an urgent investigation into the incident, to be carried out by an independent body including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives.
The petition also called for the police officer responsible to be identified and charged, and immediately suspended from active duty. The police were given seven days to respond.
Protesters were respectful and restrained; a marked contrast to the heavy police presence which protesters felt was a provocation. The march was accompanied by at least 10 carloads of police, about six vans and two mounted police.
Outside Oakley’s house, Aboriginal elder and activist Sam Watson complained to police about their decision to wear taser guns at a peaceful rally.
Watson said witnesses to the attack on Oakley had been targeted and harassed by the police for speaking to the media, and police had allegedly told them to “back off”.
Watson said: “This shows that due process is not taking place.”
Oakley was still visibly fragile and suffering from the effects of the tasering. She welcomed the assembly, thanking them for their support. This was echoed by members of her family.
She then led the march to the station to hand over the petition.
There has been a lot of media attention following the incident and much has been directed at support for the unnamed police officer. The incident is viewed as an unfortunate accident committed by a competent police officer in the line of duty, in response to a perceived threat.
The police claim they have a good relationship with the Indigenous community and have blamed intervention from “outside” the community for causing divisions.
Acting Superintendent Noel Powers said: “As is always the case … it’s when people from outside stick their noses in business that’s not theirs. This isn’t their land, these aren’t there people, they don’t represent the community”, the Brisbane Times reported on February 15.
When a journalist asked if he was specifically speaking about Watson, Powers said: “I’m not going to name names, but on certain people a beard may feature.”
When protesters handed over the petition, Powers did not speak to the rally, but he told the press afterwards that he would look into the demands. However, he indicated that the officer would not be identified.
Watson told Green Left Weekly: “This attempt to divide the community is a standard line of the police, and was also used in NSW in relation to the mobilisations around the death of TJ Hickey.
“I wonder how the people of Palm Island feel about ‘outside’ police interference. When Sergeant [Chris] Hurley was charged over the death in custody on Palm Island, all members of the police force in Queensland attended a union meeting voting support for their colleague. These outside police were also involved in something that didn’t concern them.
“What disturbs me is that the community gathering outside the Logan police station gave an opportunity for the police to make a gesture and they failed to do so.
“We will be back there next week when the seven days to respond is expires.”
