Hundreds of Aborigines and community supporters will wear bright yellow wristbands to the Townsville court on June 12. They will be gathering to observe the trial of Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, who has been charged with the manslaughter and assault of Mulrunji Doomadgee on November 19, 2004, on Palm Island.
The wristbands are being worn to support the campaign for justice for all Aboriginal deaths in custody victims and as a direct counter to the Queensland Police Union's sale of blue wristbands to cover Hurley's legal costs.
"The yellow wristbands will be our way of showing that we won't be intimidated or silenced by police rallies and threats by police to march on state parliament", said Sam Watson, the national Socialist Alliance Indigenous spokesperson and Queensland Senate candidate. "We do not believe it is appropriate that police should be allowed to wear those blue wristbands in support of an officer charged over the brutal death of an innocent person who was in Hurley's custody when he died."
Mulrunji's death in the Palm Island watch-house led to a national campaign that culminated in two coronial inquests and a top level review of the crown prosecutor's decision not to charge Hurley over Mulrunji's death.
"We will be at the court in strength to ensure that the jury and the witnesses will not feel intimidated or pressured by the huge police presence that has been promised by the authorities", Watson said. "This matter must be decided on its merits, and we call on those who are attempting to intimidate to step back and allow justice to prevail. The entire Aboriginal community and supporters of justice throughout Australia and the world will follow this trial very closely."
Hurley is the first officer to be charged over an Aboriginal death in custody in Queensland, and one of only a few in Australia. Where the police wristbands carry Hurley's badge number, the yellow wristbands carry the date of Mulrunji's death in custody.
For more information, phone Sam Watson on 0401 227 443.