15-07-2025
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.'
