A Greens senator says she was “manhandled” by police at a pro-Palestine protest outside Perth’s Crown Casino where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was speaking at a business breakfast.
A group of about 50 people from Students for Palestine WA was at the casino to protest against the government’s continued support of Israel during the Gaza conflict following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Senator Dorinda Cox will review footage of the police response following the incident on Wednesday morning.
The group met just before 7am at the back entrance of the casino where one of the protesters told the crowd they were there to give a message to Mr Albanese that he needed to stop supporting Israel, when the crowd was told to leave.
“We have to move now, if people would like to leave now you may do so but we cannot guarantee that there will be oppression or fascist security guards that are prepared to intimidate us when we are not afraid or scared to exercise our right to protest,” he said.
The group was moved to the front of the casino area where Senator Cox spoke in support of the rally.
While she was mid-speech, police told her and the group to move, allegedly pushing the senator into the crowd.
“It was disgraceful,” she said.
“I have been to many protests in Perth and in other capital cities, the WA Police manhandled me just then, a federal senator.
“It was a very unorganised approach by WA Police, which had the potential to see people injured and the potential to try and shutdown our right to protest for democracy and peace which should be central to this nation.
“Upholding democracy and our right to protest is all of our human right in Australia.”
Senator Cox said it should have been a peaceful protest but the moment she stepped off an escalator at the casino she saw people were being moved along.
“I was out there on the megaphone addressing the crowd, WA Police where behind me pushing me along,” she said.
“Now they knew I was a federal senator, I went and saw the senior officer to let them know who I was and that I wanted this to be a peaceful protest that is what we all wanted.
“We wanted everyone to be safe.
“Their approach, as far as I was concerned was over aggressive, the aggression that was used towards individuals and the whole group was unnecessary.
“It is a very big disappointment.”
Ms Cox said she would review footage from the protest to decide whether she would make a formal complaint about the police’s response to the protest.
“I should not have been interuptted mid speech, with respect they should have seen my chief of staff or had a conversation with me prior, a quiet excuse me mam would have been fine.
“That would have been great I would have got out of harms way, instead I was pushed into the crowd by two officers several times and I do not think that is acceptable.
“I have a lot of empathy for protestors who have faced aggression from police and authorities when they have a right to protest.”
One Students for Palestine activist said she was “furious” at what they had seen to protect the Prime Minister against a peaceful protest.
“Shame on them,” she told the crowd.
WA Police have been contacted for comment.
More to come