Police watchdog called in over dawn arrest of Herzog protester
A police watchdog has lodged a complaint with NSW Police after a pro-Palestinian protester was arrested by tactical officers and had his door broken down in what his lawyer argued were relatively minor offences.
Footage of the arrest, first released by NSW Police, showed eight officers wearing helmets and face masks entering the Ashfield home during the dawn raid. The footage then shows a woman being put into a police car.
Police said a 42-year-old woman was arrested and charged with resisting police, intimidating police without causing actual bodily harm, throwing a missile at police without causing actual bodily harm and using obscene language.
Police allege he threw a water bottle at a police officer during a February 9 protest against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Sydney City Hall.
His lawyer, Nick Hanna, later posted a video that was widely shared on social media, saying police entered the house while his client was asleep and “half-naked.” He posted a photo that he said showed the damaged door, claiming police “broke the door down”.
In the video, Hanna said police allege the woman threw a water bottle at an officer and “threatened to attack if another officer touched her.”
The arrest, the 26th since the Town Hall protest in which officers and demonstrators clashed, follows a series of laws by the NSW Labor government to restrict public protests that have been criticized by legal and civil liberties groups.
“This really shows how crazy things have gotten in this state,” Hanna said in the video.
“I’ve been a criminal defense attorney for almost 20 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like what’s happening today.”
NSW Greens MPs Sue Higginson and Jenny Leong have written to the Policing Commission to express concerns about the level of force used in the arrest, arguing that the allegations against the protester did not justify the police response.
In a letter seen by this imprint, the commission confirmed a complaint had been initiated, which will be forwarded first to NSW Police. The letter stated that the commission would decide on its response to the incident after considering the materials provided by the police.
The commission is gathering evidence for an investigation into the actions of police officers during a protest against Herzog’s visit in February, which was later described as a “riot” by Police Minister Yasmin Catley, in which scores of people were arrested and led to allegations of police brutality from activists.
Images of police officers punching protesters went viral and officers faced criticism from the Muslim community after a group of protesters were forcibly removed during evening prayers despite a senior police officer allowing them to proceed.
Higginson said the use of tactical officers to arrest the Ashfield woman during the dawn raid could have had a deterrent effect on those willing to join the commission’s investigation.
NSW Police has been contacted for comment.
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Jessica McSweeney is a reporter covering city affairs and state politics for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
