Police riot at Reclaim the Streets
By Citizen P.
SYDNEY — On March 18, 3000 people rallied here to protest against destructive corporate transport policies. Music came from solar-powered sound systems mounted in sculptures made from deconstructed cars and pulled by people-power.
The crowd occupied Liverpool Street in the city, then marched to George Street, outside the Town Hall, where a one-hour occupation ensued. The march moved to Park Street, the site of a soon-to-be-constructed, $500 million motorway tunnel. This road was occupied for an hour.
The rally moved on to the Eastern Distributor Tollway, a recently opened, privately owned motorway which has destroyed much of Sydney's inner-city and parks. The tollgates were occupied by protesters, who barricaded the site with road barriers, human bodies and flags.
The planned 20-minute protest action there dragged on for one and a half hours as a result of a police riot. Peaceful protesters were attacked by poorly trained, disorganised and aggressive cops.
The police were out of control, punching people, crushing them with horses and using torture holds, capsicum spray and collapsible metal truncheons. A handgun was pulled on a woman at one point.
All those arrested were released without charge. Three police and a number of protesters were hospitalised.
The protesters believe that police were using this as a training exercise in crowd control for the anticipated widespread protests by indigenous rights and anti-corporate activists during the Olympic Games in Sydney in September.
The protest ended at the Hyde Park fountain, where the crowd danced until late that night.