Latest news with #SECPlating
News.com.au
27-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Hannah Thomas hits out at ‘cowardly' cops after injury during protest arrest
A former Greens candidate who fears she may lose vision in her eye following an altercation with police says protesters will not be stopped by 'cowardly police' or governments. Hannah Thomas, formerly a Greens candidate in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's seat of Grayndler, participated at a protest outside SEC Plating in Belmore on June 27. Protesters alleged the company participated in the production of weapons components used by the Israel Defence Forces. The company has strongly denied the claims. Ms Thomas was arrested by NSW Police at the protest last month, and suffered an eye injury so severe she fears she may lose her vision. The former Greens candidate has issued a strong message to police at a protest in Sydney's Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon. 'You can send your cowardly police … and we still will not be afraid of you,' Ms Thomas said. 'I'd rather look in the mirror every day and see someone with one eye and a disfigured face than someone with no soul.' She addressed the crowd for about 10 minutes, wearing dark sunglasses and standing in front of both a Palestinian and a Lebanese flag. 'So to Albanse and to (Chris) Minns, we don't owe you respect, we do not owe you decorum, we owe the people of Gaza our resistance. '...We won't stop. 'You should be afraid of our movement, because we are not afraid of you.' Ms Thomas has already had surgery to recover from the injury to her eye, however she last week told 10 News+ she will have at least one more surgery. 'Even if I don't lose the eye, I don't know how much vision I'm getting back,' Ms Thomas told the program. 'I won't know for some months because I'll have at least one more surgery.' She was subsequently charged with hindering or resisting arrest and two counts of refusing to comply with all directions to disperse. NSW Police have since withdrawn a charge related to the rarely used emergency anti-protest powers introduced after the 2005 Cronulla riots. Ms Thomas entered pleas of not guilty to all three charges. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden earlier said he had viewed the video of Ms Thomas' arrest, and saw no evidence of misconduct by the officers. However, a critical incident was declared and the matter will be investigated by an independent police watchdog. At the federal election Ms Thomas received 25.1 per cent of the first preference votes, but was roundly defeated by the Prime Minister who took 53.5 per cent of first preferences. Since the defeat Ms Thomas has been employed as a media officer for the Greens. She recently told 10 News that the injury had affected her vision, and she could no long look at a screen for 'too long'. 'I don't know what happens with my career because of this injury.'
Perth Now
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Protester's fears for vision after arrest
Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has revealed new details about the moment she was seriously injured while being arrested during an anti-Israel protest. Ms Thomas said she didn't know how much vision – if any – she'd be able to recover after the incident left her with a serious injury to her eye. She had been was protesting outside SEC Plating in Belmore, Sydney on Friday June 27 when she was involved in an altercation with NSW Police. 'It all happened very fast,' Ms Thomas told 10 News+ on Tuesday. 'I remember feeling that impact to my head and just thinking, 'oh my God, what was that'? 'I just could not believe that I'd been punched. That level of force to my head. I just totally did not see it coming. Then I was dragged away to another point.' Hannah Thomas was arrested during an anti-Israel protest. Credit: Supplied Former greens candidate Hannah Thomas after a protest in Belmore, Sydney. Supplied Credit: Supplied She said she then became worried about the injury to her eye. 'At that point I realised the extent, just because of the throbbing, and I was like, 'oh my face just does not feel normal',' she said. 'I think at that point I was already like, 'oh my God, I think my sight might be affected'.' Protesters claim SEC Plating provides components used in a class of jets operated by the Israeli Defence Force, these claims are strongly denied by the company. Ms Thomas denied doing anything to provoke the incident such as lashing out or spitting at officers and said the road to recovery remained a daunting prospect. 'Just complete shock. I think that I would have never expected that morning when I went to the protest, that would have been the outcome,' she said. 'Even if I don't lose the eye, I don't know how much vision I'm getting back. I won't know for some months because I'll have at least one more surgery.' Hannah Thomas has revealed new details after she was seriously injured while being arrested at an anti-Israel protest. Channel 10 Credit: Channel 10 Ms Thomas stood against the Prime Minister in his Sydney seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year. Although unsuccessful, she is now employed as a media officer for the Greens party. 'I can't look at a screen for too long at the moment, I don't know what happens with my career because of this injury,' she said. Ms Thomas disagreed with the idea that by refusing move on orders from the police the protesters were putting themselves at risk and said real change was needed to prohibit similar incidents from occurring. 'I mean, I would disagree. I think protest is a fundamental right. And I think what makes us unsafe at protests are police. '[I would like to see] the charges against me dropped and I would like the officers involved to be charged and taken off duty. 'I think the level of violence towards protesters at the moment is escalated, and it's because [of the] anti-protest laws, which has really licensed police to crack down. 'I think if nothing changes, there'll be more injuries.' A critical incident team is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and oversighted by the LECC. Ms Thomas is due in court over the protest on August 12.
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘What was that?': Fresh details in Greens candidate's injury in protestarrest
Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has revealed new details about the moment she was seriously injured while being arrested during an anti-Israel protest. Ms Thomas said she didn't know how much vision – if any – she'd be able to recover after the incident left her with a serious injury to her eye. She had been was protesting outside SEC Plating in Belmore, Sydney on Friday June 27 when she was involved in an altercation with NSW Police. 'It all happened very fast,' Ms Thomas told 10 News+ on Tuesday. 'I remember feeling that impact to my head and just thinking, 'oh my God, what was that'? 'I just could not believe that I'd been punched. That level of force to my head. I just totally did not see it coming. Then I was dragged away to another point.' She said she then became worried about the injury to her eye. 'At that point I realised the extent, just because of the throbbing, and I was like, 'oh my face just does not feel normal',' she said. 'I think at that point I was already like, 'oh my God, I think my sight might be affected'.' Protesters claim SEC Plating provides components used in a class of jets operated by the Israeli Defence Force, these claims are strongly denied by the company. Ms Thomas denied doing anything to provoke the incident such as lashing out or spitting at officers and said the road to recovery remained a daunting prospect. 'Just complete shock. I think that I would have never expected that morning when I went to the protest, that would have been the outcome,' she said. 'Even if I don't lose the eye, I don't know how much vision I'm getting back. I won't know for some months because I'll have at least one more surgery.' Ms Thomas stood against the Prime Minister in his Sydney seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year. Although unsuccessful, she is now employed as a media officer for the Greens party. 'I can't look at a screen for too long at the moment, I don't know what happens with my career because of this injury,' she said. Ms Thomas disagreed with the idea that by refusing move on orders from the police the protesters were putting themselves at risk and said real change was needed to prohibit similar incidents from occurring. 'I mean, I would disagree. I think protest is a fundamental right. And I think what makes us unsafe at protests are police. '[I would like to see] the charges against me dropped and I would like the officers involved to be charged and taken off duty. 'I think the level of violence towards protesters at the moment is escalated, and it's because [of the] anti-protest laws, which has really licensed police to crack down. 'I think if nothing changes, there'll be more injuries.' A critical incident team is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, and will be reviewed by the Professional Standards Command and oversighted by the LECC. Ms Thomas is due in court over the protest on August 12.
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas to fight charges over anti-Israel protest in Sydney
Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas will fight charges over an anti-Israel protest in Sydney that left her with a bloodied eye after police confirmed they were not dropping any further charges. The former Grayndler candidate was involved in a protest picketing SEC Plating in Belmore in Sydney's southwest on June 27 following reports the company provided jet components used by the Israel Defence Forces. Police issued a move-on order to about 60 people, but a scuffle broke out when some failed to comply with directions. Ms Thomas was later pictured with a swollen eye and dried blood on her face following the protest, claiming on social media that she may have suffered permanent vision damage and had undergone multiple surgeries. She was subsequently charged with hindering or resisting arrest and two counts of refusing to comply with all directions to disperse. An additional charge, related to the rarely used emergency anti-protest powers introduced after the 2005 Cronulla riots, was earlier dropped by police. Appearing before Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday, Ms Thomas's lawyer, Stewart O'Connell, told magistrate Glenn Walsh he believed there would be 'an application in relation to at least one of the charges'. Instead, the police prosecutor confirmed officers were seeking pleas in relation to all three charges. Pleas of not guilty were subsequently entered to all three matters. The court was told the NSW Director of Public Prosecution had taken carriage. Ms Thomas was one of five people to appear before the court on Tuesday charged over the protest. Rising Tide organiser Zachary Edward Jaworowski Schofield, Brandon Eid, Shane Reside and Holly Zhang all had their matters heard on Tuesday, with Mr O'Connell entering pleas of not guilty to each. The court was told the matters would be referred to the NSW DPP because of the 'seriousness and media interest'. In the matters of Mr Reside and Ms Zhang, the court was told two witnesses would be called, with body-worn video to be produced for the hearing but not any CCTV. Mr Schofield is expected to return before the court later on Tuesday for a bail application. NSW Greens call for Premier to take action In a statement, lawyer Peter O'Brien on Monday called for the charges against Ms Thomas to be dropped, claiming he was 'satisfied' the former Greens candidate had been 'punched in the face' by police. 'My office has now viewed all available footage of the incident giving rise to the moments leading to the injury to Ms Thomas's eye on the 27th of June, and I am satisfied that Ms Thomas was punched in the face by a male police officer, causing extensive and serious injury to her eye,' Mr O'Brien said. He said Ms Thomas was an 'innocent victim of gratuitous police brutality' and he condemned the actions of police as 'completely and entirely unjustifiable'. He said Ms Thomas would be filing a civil claim for compensation against the state over her 'apprehension, injury, detention, and prosecution'. Ms Thomas had earlier claimed her injuries were the result of anti-protest laws introduced by the NSW Labor government this year following a spate of anti-Semitic attacks and an explosives-laden caravan found in Dural in Sydney's northwest that police later said was part of a fake terrorism plot. The laws outlaw many forms of protest outside places of worship and introduce harsh new penalties. They are subject to a constitutional challenge in the NSW Supreme Court, launched on behalf of the Palestine Action Group. On Tuesday, NSW Greens MLC Sue Higginson called on Police Minister Yasmin Catley to stand down Assistant Police Commissioner Brett McFadden after reports he falsely claimed he reviewed police body-cam footage from the incident involving Ms Thomas and found no evidence of misconduct. 'NSW Police have misled the public, ignored evidence and made excuses for violence against women – and Labor Premier Chris Minns hasn't uttered a word against them,' Ms Higginson said on Instagram. 'The inconsistent statements from NSW Police make it clear that all charges against Hannah and her fellow protesters should be dropped. 'We will see more violence against peaceful protests unless NSW Labor urgently repeal their draconian anti-protest laws.'
Perth Now
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Greens candidate injured in protest set to face court
A former Greens candidate who ran against the prime minister will face court over what police claim was an unauthorised protest, where she sustained a serious eye injury during her arrest. Hannah Thomas, 35, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction in a protest at SEC Plating in Sydney's southwest on June 27. Her case is scheduled for a mention in Bankstown Local Court on Tuesday. The activist and lawyer was among five people arrested. They were protesting outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are subject to an internal review with external oversight by the police watchdog after Thomas suffered an eye injury requiring surgery. Her lawyer Peter O'Brien has said she might permanently lose vision in that eye. Mr O'Brien reviewed footage of the arrest and alleged a male officer punched Thomas in the face. "The charge of resisting police could never be sustained as the police officers were plainly acting outside of the execution of their duties ... with brutal and life-changing consequences," Mr O'Brien said. Police had misunderstood the law and unlawfully applied move-on directions, he claimed. Mr O'Brien has also flagged a civil suit against the state over potential allegations including assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. The officers involved remain on duty. Protesters returned to SEC Plating on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. Ms Thomas ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler at the May federal election.
