Greens candidate Hannah Thomas suffers facial injuries after wild Belmore Palestine protest
A former Greens candidate who took on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has come away with graphic injuries after a pro-Palestine protest descended into chaos.
The unauthorised protest took place on Friday morning outside SEC Plating in Belmore, Sydney.
Protesters claim the company provides components used in a class of jets operated by the Israeli Defence Force.
NSW Police attempted to disperse the group, stating the protest was not authorised.
'Five people have been arrested following an unauthorised protest in Sydney's west this morning,' a police statement read.
'About 5.35am Friday, officers attached to Campsie Police Area Command attended Lakemba Street, Belmore.
'Police issued a move on direction to a group of about 60 protesters, who allegedly attempted to block pedestrian access to the business.
'A 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were subsequently arrested after allegedly failing to comply with the direction.
'During the 35-year-old woman's arrest, she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment.'
The injured woman has been identified as Hannah Thomas, who challenged Mr Albanese in the federal seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year.
A video recorded by one of the protesters captures a confrontation between police officers and several attendees.
In the footage, some protesters can be heard shouting, 'let go of her.'
A woman wearing a black coat is from the group and at one moment she appears to fall to the ground alongside a police officer.
An officer is heard instructing, 'Get up now,' to which the woman responds, 'I'm trying.'
It is not clear if the woman who is taken away in the video is Ms Thomas.
A photo taken after the incident appears to show Ms Thomas standing next to an officer with visible swelling around her eye.
A source has confirmed with NewsWire that Ms Thomas has undergone initial surgery and her vision may be impacted.
A joint statement from the Greens said NSW Police had 'violently attacked and assaulted protesters' at the 'peaceful picket … leaving one woman with serious facial injuries and arresting multiple demonstrators'.
'SEC Plating reportedly is involved in providing plating services for various parts used in F-35 jets,' the statement reads.
'The State of Israel's fleet of around 40F-35 rely on the global supply chain and supplement supply from countries like Australia to continue the genocide against the Palestinian people.'
The statement says Peter O'Brien Lawyers has been engaged to represent Ms Thomas along with other protesters.
Ms Thomas has not been charged with a crime, the police said.
The police have charged a 29-year-old woman with refuse or fail to comply with direction, a 24-year-old man with larceny and goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen, a 41-year-old man with using offensive language in or near public place or school and a 26-year-old man with refuse or fail to comply with directions and hinder or resist a police officer in the execution of duty.
They were all granted conditional bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court on July 15.
Inquiries into the matter are ongoing, the police added.
Rising Tide organiser Zack Schofield was arrested in the tussle and claimed the protest constituted 'legitimate political expression against genocide'.
'I witnessed the brutal assault against a community member this morning, someone who was lawfully expressing themselves in public, and it was sickening,' he said.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
One councillor. Countless fights. How Big Rob's beefs are shaping Lismore, a city in recovery
Big Rob's Kebab Shop was once the home of many of Lismore's big fights. Young revellers would often get into punch-ups inside his late night takeaway joint. The constant violence used to piss the kebab store owner Robert Bou-Hamden off, especially when he had to get involved to break it up. But lately, Lismore has had a different fight on its hands. The local businessman and lawyer is now a councillor and his little beefs have become big problems for a city still healing. When Bou-Hamden was told he couldn't put 'Big Rob' on his ballot paper in 2016, he legally changed his name. He's officially been Big Rob ever since. He's become known for the name both locally and online, running several community Facebook groups across the Lismore, Ballina and Casino that share local news, business ads, weather updates, topical polls, and the occasional photo of Rob's dog. During Lismore's multiple catastrophic flood events, the self-described 'citizen journalist' would go around and film what was happening in Lismore and share it on his pages. Like a community noticeboard, other people post on his pages too. Altogether, he has 90,000 followers across various platforms, which is just a little under the combined population of the areas he covers. If that's all he shared, perhaps his pathway to politics and his current grip on the city would be uncontroversial. But there's one more page that Big Rob runs. A local crime page, with 137,000 followers, that shares footage of people doing the wrong thing at all hours of the day and night. Since he's shifted from local social media celebrity to city councillor, his online antics have blurred the lines between private citizen and public official. In a city still bearing the scars of devastating floods, Big Rob's presence represents a risky kind of local politics — one where social media tirades and public shaming have become commonplace. Big Rob transitioned from kebab shop owner to citizen journalist after he started uploading videos of incidents on his North Coast Crime page. Sometimes he'd arrive on the scene before first responders got there. "I'm usually up really late. Most of the good stuff happens at night," he said. "I used to attend crimes and incidents, car crashes, fires, anything that I could hear on a police scanner. Like many regional places, the local media landscape was in decline. These videos kept the community informed. "I was outstripping the [mainstream media] by miles … They couldn't keep up. My traffic was more, my numbers were more," Big Rob says. He says he even started to turn a buck, charging news outlets for the footage he was capturing on his phone. But this citizen journalism came with complications. "[The police] used to threaten me with arrest. They've grabbed me many times. They've put hands on me, pushed me," he claims. Recently at a school fire, an officer "got right up in my face trying to make me move back … yelling at me like I'm doing something wrong". Police say they were clearing the area around a declared crime scene and that the public complied with their directions. Locals didn't love seeing their faces on North Coast Crime at their worst, before they'd had their day at court. In one instance, he was charged with two counts of publishing the names of minors involved in a fight, allegedly violating the Children Criminal Proceedings Act . The charges were later dismissed. Big Rob says his mission is civic-minded — he wants crime taken seriously in Lismore and he wants the police to step up. In 2016, Big Rob walked into the Lismore police station. He'd had an altercation with a woman at a local sushi shop and talked about it on his radio show and social media. The woman reported the incident to police and they asked him to come in. Big Rob live-streamed himself driving to the station and going inside. He was arrested and charged for common assault and four counts of stalking and intimidation. Big Rob uploaded the video to his North Coast Crime page. Only this time, he was the subject of the story. The footage is of a low resolution. His decision to record inside is clearly designed for maximum reach online. It shows the way he handles himself when under threat, the live streaming, the confidence, his appetite for conflict and his willingness to challenge authority. It's these qualities on display in the recording that Big Rob has used to grow his profile. A year after the incident, a judge dismissed all the charges. In court, the magistrate said that Big Rob was "rude, discourteous and insulting" but his behaviour wasn't worthy of a conviction. In the midst of these court hearings, Big Rob had time to ruminate on his next steps. In 2016, he decided he was going to run for mayor. He regularly turned up to council meetings to make the most of public access, where he could put questions to the council on matters ranging from public pools to parking fees. In his first attempt, he fell short. But Big Rob knew from curating his community pages that people in Lismore had genuine concerns about how the council was being run. So he set his sights on the next election and ramped up his criticisms of elected officials online. In 2017, Lismore's then-mayor Isaac Smith took out an interim Apprehended Personal Violence Order (APVO) against him to stop him posting about the mayor and his family . Big Rob responded to Smith's filing of the APVO application by posting a 24-minute long video of himself driving to the then-mayor's house, in which he narrated a long list of grievances against Smith. It's titled, 'Big Rob responds to Lismore mayor Isaac 'simple' Smith wanting an AVO" and in it, Big Rob refers to the then-mayor as a 'clown', a 'weasel' and taunts him, to 'get an AVO on this'. Addressing the social media posts that led Smith to apply for an AVO, he tells his followers that politicians are not exempt from public scrutiny and that he was simply uploading content provided to him by his audience. The clip captures Big Rob's confrontational stance toward elected officials: "I always say the best defence is attack". Later, he was found by a court to have breached his interim APVO because he continued to post about the then-mayor. Big Rob appealed, lost, and then was ordered to pay costs. After a year of multiple court appearances, Isaac Smith withdrew the APVO. Another local applied for an interim AVO against Big Rob. In the application with the court, the local accused Big Rob of labelling them a 'paedophile'. Big Rob denied the claims. The application was dismissed in court. When the community member who applied for the interim AVO confronted him outside the council chambers some years later, they had a big verbal stoush. The altercation led to the council attempting to restrict Big Rob from entering the council premises. Although the council later clarified that it was a 'misunderstanding' and council briefings are open to the public. Rob took it as an attempt to exclude him from the democratic process. In the years that followed, the council became embroiled in internal division and alleged governance issues. The region was also hit by major floods, triggering a surge in demand for local information. Big Rob's on-the-ground updates boosted his visibility in the community. In 2021, he had another crack at getting elected to council. This time, he scraped in . Big Rob chalks it up to his unorthodox approach to politics. "I guess they saw me as someone who wasn't like all the other politicians who didn't care what anyone thought, who didn't watch my Ps and Qs," Big Rob says. In 2024, Big Rob was returned to council, with an increased vote — proof that his approach was resonating with more people, not fewer. "He's the only true community representative we've got," Col Baker, a retiree says. As the former co-owner of the Lismore Pie Cart, Col said he admired Big Rob's persistence and that he cared about small businesses. "He doesn't shut up, he keeps pushing." "The council was completely dysfunctional. Development in Lismore was virtually nil and the council's attitude towards business was abysmal and Big Rob recognised that." But Col admits, the council is yet to change the issues he'd like to see dealt with in the community. "He's trying to get the council to stop spending money on frivolous stuff. I genuinely think he's there for the benefit of the community, but unfortunately he's got a lot of people offside." Janine Wilson, former editor of the Koori Mail, is one of those 'offsiders'. Janine now runs 'Lismore Council Watch' a Facebook page dedicated to reporting council matters. She says Big Rob's entry onto Lismore's council was built over years of stirring up conflict in the community to increase engagement on his pages. "It sews division, up-ends council processes, and fuels community tensions." For Janine, Big Rob's rise represents something that's gone amiss in the region. "Local media has collapsed. No one knows what's going on anymore. It's a dog's breakfast really." In that vacuum, Big Rob's beefs have thrived, his status has grown and it's propelled him into a career in local politics. On his official website Big Rob has a couple of lists. One about the policies he's passionate about, including water security, flood mitigation and economic development, and another one called "keeping them honest" where in eight dot points he sums up his ambition to make politics more engaging and more inclusive. Big Rob is vocal about his desire to rid the council of members he doesn't agree with. For that he has another list. He says it includes, among other things, people "doing the wrong thing to the community … and just being a dick." According to Rob, the people on that list are normally other public officials that are "bad for Lismore" and "need to go". "Once people get on my list, their careers are over in politics," he said. "They get what's called 'the Big Rob experience'." He claims to have already been instrumental in disposing of many elected officials, senior council staff and general managers in Lismore council. For police who've been involved in his AVO matters, Big Rob told the ABC this means high level attention to every piece of correspondence they've had around his case. This means subpoenas for "everything" … notes, phone records, personal phones, text messages, emails and police reports. For politicians and public figures, it means sustained social media campaigns. "Jenny Dowell was on the list, so she's gone," Big Rob says of a former Lismore mayor. "Every time she pops her head up, she gets back on the list." Councillors concerned by his methods have made complaints against Big Rob. But he remains undeterred. Jyllie Jackson is 77 and has devoted herself to Lismore's lantern parade for three decades. It's a landmark community event that attracts thousands each year. "The Lismore Lantern Parade is a piece of magic, it's a gathering of the community to tell a story. From tiny lanterns, to great, huge giant lanterns." She can't pinpoint exactly when the beef began with Big Rob, but it was around about the time he still had the takeaway joint. "He was complaining online about the fact that we didn't take the lantern parade down the street, that was ostensibly where his kebab shop was," she said. So she changed the route. Years later, Jyllie agreed to support a different local candidate to Big Rob at the council elections, by standing on Elly Bird's ticket. "I got a message from Big Rob on Facebook Messenger telling me that that was a very silly thing for me to do," Jackson said. When she moved the lantern parade temporarily to the North Lismore showgrounds to comply with COVID restrictions, Big Rob's public disapproval began. He thought it wasn't right to move the festival out of the CBD. But council documents show Jyllie received a $30,000 funding allocation to put the event on at the showgrounds and the council assisted Jyllie with the move through logistical and administrative support. When Big Rob couldn't succeed in blocking the funding of the festival in council, he took matters into his own hands. "We became aware that Big Rob had registered the Lismore Lantern Parade … as his business," Jackson says . The parade, which had been running since 1994, had never registered it as a business name — it was simply the name of their community event . "I got phone calls from contractors, subcontractors, and sponsors," she says. "They had been told that they weren't allowed to use the name Lismore Lantern Parade." "It's like throwing a little grenade into the community and waiting for people who like to be keyboard warriors to jump on it and make a fuss," she said. Jyllie asked Big Rob to quit claiming the business name as his own, to no avail. Big Rob maintains he was right to oppose the move and register the business name. When local councillor Elly Bird talks about her experience with Big Rob, she struggles to fight back tears. The councillor has spent eight years in local government and many more in paid and volunteer positions in community organisations. She's also the executive director of Resilient Lismore, an organisation dedicated to helping flood affected community members repair their homes. The organisation receives significant funding from government bodies, which Big Rob takes issue with. 'Resilient Lismore should be shut down. No more grant funding and no one should listen to them." Rob says. He's consistently criticised her organisation's operations, questioning the work it does, the wage Elly receives as an executive director and often uses the hashtag #DisasterCapitalism. Elly and her organisation have been mentioned by Big Rob's pages more than 100 times in the last five years. In 2022, as Lismore was in the grip of another devastating flooding event, Big Rob's influence became acutely apparent to her. "As I arrived at the evacuation center to help, some guy called out to me and said, 'Oh, it's Rate Rise Elly, what are you doing here?'" she recalls, her voice catching. "At the time of my community's highest need." The nickname was one of two Big Rob uses for her regularly on social media — Elly 'Angry' Bird and Rate Rise Elly. Elly is not the first councillor to be given a name by Big Rob. Former mayor was Isaac 'Simple' Smith, the former GM was 'the Dictator', a young political up-and-comer became 'Silly' Sally Flannery. Later in the year Big Rob posted other claims about Elly. "I went and bought myself a Toyota Hiace van because I needed to be able to move furniture around this community with my own money. After the disaster, there was a suggestion that 'she's gone off and bought herself a new car out of all the funds'. "What a load of rubbish." Elly has tried to respond to criticism in the past, but says she's one of thousands of people that is blocked from Rob's pages. Big Rob estimates that he's blocked over 30,000 people. Financial documents filed with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission indicate that Resilient Lismore's 2024 revenue was $2,891,980. The organisation's 2022-24 impact report says it completed over 4,000 general repair jobs, and 657 significant repair jobs over that time. "We have successfully attracted grant funding to be able to deliver the work that we do. We have employed … 26 individuals over the last three years," the Executive Director said. Resilient Lismore's annual report shows that the organisation's 2024 expenditure on contractors — mostly skilled labourers — was $1,081,432, employee salaries were $1,014,513 and material purchases for home repairs was $369,675. Elly Bird finds the criticism bewildering, saying her organisation is employing "local people to help local people". "You gotta pay people to do work. It's fundamental to our society." "I'm paid according to award rates for the work that I do, same as everybody else in this organisation, same as everybody else in the community … I work above and beyond what I'm being paid to do." An independent auditor's report found no fault in the organisation's financial statements and that they satisfy the requirements of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Act 2012. Elly says Big Rob's sustained attention was a factor in her deciding not to run for a third term in 2024. "It's very difficult to have your motivations challenged, particularly when I give so much of myself for this community, and no opportunity to defend myself," she said. "I just had to weigh up all the things in my life and the places and spaces where I can be effective. "I want it to stop." Elly says she's had conversations with people who would make good councillors but don't run because of the level of scrutiny and impact it might have on their businesses and their families. "I think it's a really sad state of affairs, our community deserves good leadership from good people who are committed to seeing the best possible outcomes for this community and people who have those qualities decide not to put themselves forward, to not take up that role," she said. Mayor Steve Krieg says the first time he ever spoke to Big Rob was very late at night, in 2021. Counsellor Krieg was about to run for council and for mayor. The staff of his cafe were having a party, when they saw Big Rob across the road. "I walked across the road and introduced myself … I'd had a few beers and he chewed my ear off for about two hours, about everything that I was gonna do wrong and how stupid I was for doing it," he said. "My wife ended up coming out and saying, 'what are you doing?'" The Mayor says he has since come to enjoy working with the provocateur, though he doesn't agree with many of his methods. "He's very switched-on as far as process and procedure goes and that's an important thing in council. "But he also has a very short fuse and cracks the sads when things don't go his way as well. So he needs to learn to control his emotions a little bit." Big Rob's approach to local politics has come with significant costs — both personal and financial. To date, he has breached the council code of conduct multiple times. In 2022, Big Rob was formally censured after an investigation found he breached the code of conduct over a social media post about transgender athletes. The following year, a complaint from Elly Bird was investigated which found that Big Rob in ten instances had been disparaging or belittling of the then-councillor online and on email. The council considered the code of conduct breach but on that occasion, voted against censuring Big Rob. That same year, Rob was censured twice: once for inflammatory comments about then-General Manager John Walker, and again for suggesting he might sue a pensioner for her house to satisfy a defamation claim. Most recently, Rob was censured for insensitive remarks about an Aboriginal elder, who he criticised for accepting payment to deliver Acknowledgements of Country. The matter was referred to the Office of Local Government, which declined to comment. Each investigation in council requires hiring an external investigator. Council sources estimate the total cost of dealing with complaints against Big Rob may be nearing $100,000 — money that could otherwise be spent on community services. Big Rob himself takes issue with the wasted cost involved, posting about one censure: "Another censure to add to the collection, and a considerable cost to ratepayers as attempts to control me using a very broken process continue." His response to each censure has been to challenge the process and publish the confidential council investigations on his website and Facebook page. "There is absolutely no procedural fairness in the code of conduct procedures and no appeal rights," he declared after one censure. Councillor Krieg finds himself trying to manage a council where one member publicly criticises private citizens within the community he represents. "Sadly, every day I get some form of correspondence or complaint," Councillor Krieg says about Big Rob's online behaviour. Big Rob's battles go beyond what happened to Jyllie Jackson , Elly Bird and Isaac Smith — his rants also take in an antique owner who displays his wares on the streets and people who park their cars in the wrong spot. "It's not my job to go and tell someone to get their shit off the footpath and it's not my job to tell someone that they're parking illegally," Mayor Krieg said. "That's what we employ rangers to do, and that's what the police are for. He tends to think that it is his role and he gets into trouble for it and he can't accept the fact that he gets into trouble for it because he thinks he's doing the right thing." Councillor Krieg identifies what he sees as Big Rob's fundamental flaw: "It's his way or no way … if he deems that someone's wronged him or is doing the wrong thing by the council, it's all or nothing in his head."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
‘Worst policy change': State cashes in on GST carve out
The 'worst policy change in the 21st' century is set to blow out the national budget by $60bn and keep one state in the black for years to come. The goods and services tax (GST) carve up was back in focus this week as state treasurers came out with their budgets. Queensland, NSW, Western Australia, and the ACT all delivered budgets, with one state standing above them all. Mining-rich WA is in the black, with costs tipped to come in at $2.5bn less than predicted spending. The rest, budget deficits. WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti used her speech to focus on the relative strength of the economy compared with other states while warning of an uncertain global outlook. 'This budget is about fortifying WA amid global shocks,' she said. Independent economist Saul Eslake argues that WA has achieved a surplus for the last seven years on the back of soaring GST revenue. 'Between 2016 and 2025, Western Australia essentially had the country by the shorts and they squeezed as hard as they could,' Mr Eslake told NewsWire. 'I call it the worst public policy decision of the 21st century.' So what changed for the WA government to achieve seven years of surplus. WHY IS WA THE LUCKY STATE? Much of WA's success comes back to two changes. The first was a change to the GST in 2018, with Mr Eslake arguing that the then Liberal federal government wanted to appease WA where it held an overwhelming majority of federal seats. Then treasurer Scott Morrison announced a review of Australia's horizontal fiscal equalisation (HFE) system, which determines the distribution of goods and services tax (GST) revenue among states and territories. After a Productivity Commission inquiry, the system changed so that all states and territories received 70c for every dollar of GST raised in 2022-23. That figure increased to 75c a dollar in 2024-25. Before the new agreement, WA's GST share was 30 cents in the dollar. High iron ore prices at the time could have meant WA got just 15.6 cents of every dollar of GST raised. 'So what Morrison did was commission the Productivity Commission to do an inquiry into horizontal fiscal equalisation,' Mr Eslake said. 'The terms of reference for that were written in Mathias Cormann's office. It was a classic example of (fictional TV character) Sir Humphrey Appleby's advice that you never call an inquiry unless you know what it's going to say.' HFE's aim is to ensure that every state and territory should have an equal opportunity to provide public services. The key word is should, as states and territories are free to raise additional revenues how they please as well as fund their own state-based services. 'That principle is they are equalising the fiscal capacity of the states and territories,' Mr Eslake continued. 'And the point of that, it matters far less where you live when it comes to the quality of schooling your kids get, the quality of healthcare that you and your family get, the quality of policy or environment you get.' Mr Eslake used the example of the US, which does not have HFE, meaning different states have varying life outcomes. 'If we didn't have it, then Victorians and NSW people would have much better public services and pay lower taxes, all else being equal, than Tasmanians or South Australians,' Mr Eslake said. 'And I would argue, and traditionally most Australians have accepted, that's something that makes Australia a better and fairer place than America in particular.' The second major change for WA was the rise of China, or as Paul Keating famously said, the state got 'kissed on the a*se by a big Chinese rainbow'. This kissing, Mr Eslake argues, turned WA from being propped up into a donor state. '(In the early 2000s) WA got a bigger share of whatever federal grants were going around than they would have got if it was distributed equal per capita,' he said. 'Because the (Commonwealth) Grants Commission recognised that when gold was fixed at $35 an ounce, and iron ore was only trading at $20 a tonne and they weren't selling much of it, they couldn't raise much money for mineral oil fees, but they had a relatively high cost of providing services.' BUDGET BOTTOM LINE To get other states to support these changes, a no one is worse off provision was added, with the federal government topping up any shortfalls in GST revenues. This policy was also extended until 2029-2030 under the Albanese government. This NOWO provision turns a $9bn budget blow into a $60bn black hole. 'This is the biggest blowout in the cost of any single policy decision ever with the possible exception of the NDIS, which as (economist) Chris Richardson says is at least set up for a noble purpose,' Mr Eslake said. 'It's what is allowing Western Australia to run a budget surplus while everyone else, including the feds, are running a deficit. 'In the longer run, what it will mean is residents of Australia's richest state, WA, will have better public services and lower taxes than people who live in the eastern states, which I say is un-Australian.'
Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Herald Sun
Greens candidate Hannah Thomas injured in Belmore Palestine protest
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has come away with graphic injuries after a pro-Palestine protest descended into chaos. A horrific photo, posted in the aftermath of the protest action, shows Ms Thomas with damaged left eye that is shut completely with streaks of dry blood caked onto her cheek. The unauthorised protest took place on Friday morning outside SEC Plating in Belmore, Sydney. Protesters claim the company provides components used in a class of jets operated by the Israeli Defence Force. NSW Police attempted to disperse the group, stating the protest was not authorised. 'Five people have been arrested following an unauthorised protest in Sydney's west this morning,' a police statement read. 'About 5.35am Friday, officers attached to Campsie Police Area Command attended Lakemba Street, Belmore. 'Police issued a move on direction to a group of about 60 protesters, who allegedly attempted to block pedestrian access to the business. 'A 26-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were subsequently arrested after allegedly failing to comply with the direction. 'During the 35-year-old woman's arrest, she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment.' The injured woman has been identified as Ms Thomas, who challenged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the federal seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year. A video recorded by one of the protesters captures a confrontation between police officers and several attendees. In the footage, some protesters can be heard shouting, 'let go of her.' A woman wearing a black coat is from the group and at one moment she appears to fall to the ground alongside a police officer. An officer is heard instructing, 'Get up now,' to which the woman responds, 'I'm trying.' It is not clear if the woman who is taken away in the video is Ms Thomas. A photo taken after the incident appears to show Ms Thomas standing next to an officer with visible swelling around her eye. A source has confirmed with NewsWire that Ms Thomas has undergone initial surgery and her vision may be impacted. A joint statement from the Greens said NSW Police had 'violently attacked and assaulted protesters' at the 'peaceful picket … leaving one woman with serious facial injuries and arresting multiple demonstrators'. 'SEC Plating reportedly is involved in providing plating services for various parts used in F-35 jets,' the statement reads. 'The State of Israel's fleet of around 40F-35 rely on the global supply chain and supplement supply from countries like Australia to continue the genocide against the Palestinian people.' The statement says Peter O'Brien Lawyers has been engaged to represent Ms Thomas along with other protesters. Ms Thomas has not been charged with a crime, the police said. The police have charged a 29-year-old woman with refuse or fail to comply with direction, a 24-year-old man with larceny and goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen, a 41-year-old man with using offensive language in or near public place or school and a 26-year-old man with refuse or fail to comply with directions and hinder or resist a police officer in the execution of duty. They were all granted conditional bail and will appear before Bankstown Local Court on July 15. Inquiries into the matter are ongoing, the police added. Rising Tide organiser Zack Schofield was arrested in the tussle and claimed the protest constituted 'legitimate political expression against genocide'. 'I witnessed the brutal assault against a community member this morning, someone who was lawfully expressing themselves in public, and it was sickening,' he said. Originally published as Greens candidate Hannah Thomas suffers facial injuries after wild Belmore Palestine protest
