Aussie Greens candidate is given terrifying news after she was blinded at a pro-Palestine rally
Hannah Thomas was arrested with four others at an anti-Israel demonstration in Belmore, Sydney, on June 27.
The demonstration took place outside Belmore-based business SEC Plating, which the group claimed provides supply chain services for F-35 fighter jets owned by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
Ms Thomas has since undergone surgery for her eye following her arrest - which was documented on a video which legal experts fear contradicts the claims of authorities.
Ms Thomas, who ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his seat of Grayndler in the last federal election, said she had been told to brace for the worst.
'I don't think there's any chance of it (her eye) going back to what it was, I've been told very clearly to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, which is full vision loss in the right eye,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Ms Thomas faces a second round surgery this week and said she was still in shock.
'At this early stage, I can't see how my life ever gets back to the same,' she said.
She said when she went to the protest, she did not expect a violent confrontation with police.
'I think I'm in a great deal of shock that it even happened. I would've never thought this would have happened. I don't want to go into the incident itself, but it's just not at all an outcome I would've expected that day.'
Footage taken at the protest has prompted scrutiny over the conduct of NSW Police and its description of the arrest. Ms Thomas was charged with one count of resisting police and another of failing to comply with a direction to disperse.
In the vision, Ms Thomas appeared to be pulled to the ground by police after being separated from the crowd.
She appeared to stop before an officer placed a leg in front of her and they fell together.
The video showed her saying 'I'm trying' as an officer repeatedly told her to 'get up'.
The incident has since been declared a critical incident by the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) and is now under investigation.
Court documents show Ms Thomas was charged under rarely-used emergency powers known as Part 6A. The powers were brought into law following the 2005 Cronulla riots to deal with large-scale 'public disorder'.
Ms Thomas was the only protester charged under the powers. They require authorisation by an assistant commissioner or higher.
The NSW Greens Member of the Legislative Council Sue Higginson penned a formal complaint to the LECC.
She alleged the assistant commissioner Brett McFadden 'issued an unlawful or retrospective authorisation to use emergency powers in violation of their conditions', according to the Guardian
In a statement, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said: 'I put in place a process to review the charges laid in this matter to ensure the relevant and most appropriate charges are applied'.
'The review is part of normal critical incident protocols.'
Police alleged Ms Thomas received her injuries during a struggle involving police and and other protesters, with their submission to court claiming she was hurt due to the interference of several protesters.
It has since been revealed police will look to drop charges laid against Ms Thomas under the emergency powers after a review found police incorrectly sought to use them for the protest.
In response to the incident, NSW Premier Chris Minns defended officers' actions and stated businesses were entitled to operate without interference.
The NSW Police said the action was 'an approved take down', and claimed Ms Thomas was 'resisting police'.
Ms Thomas has released a video from hospital in which she said she is five foot and one inch tall and weighs 45kg.
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