Beverley uranium mine protesters 'herded like cattle'
Article from:
SEAN FEWSTER, KEN MCGREGOR
October 08, 2009 02:30pm
POLICE herded protesters into metal crates "like cattle" during a uranium mine protest, a court has heard.
Ten
people, including a television cameraman, today asked the Supreme Court
to award them $630,000 compensation over the violent clash near the
Beverley uranium mine site at Andamooka in May 2000.
Brian Walters, for the plaintiffs, said his clients deserved "a
significantly high award of damages" from the "remorseless,
unapologetic" Rann Government.
"This case is a nasty example of police violence that was
premeditated, consistent and paid no heed to legal requirements," he
said.
"Police used capsicum spray like it was fly spray and used their vehicles like weapons.
"They placed protesters, as if they were cattle, into shipping
containers in the middle of the desert and conducted welding while they
were inside."
The plaintiffs, most of whom live interstate, are claiming damages for pain, injury and loss.
In September, Deputy Premier Kevin Foley refused to negotiate an out-of-court settlement.
"The Government will not negotiate a wholsesale settlement with a
bunch of feral protesters who put the safety of our police officers in
peril," he said at the time.
"The Government sends a clear message to any anarchist group of protesters that we will not be a soft touch."
Yesterday, Mr Walters said those comments had further inflamed the case.
"They show a complete absence of remorse by the State, and there has never been an apology," he said.
"It's not just a lack of remorse - it's further injury to my clients by further insult to them."
The trial, before Justice Tim Anderson, is expected to last eight weeks.
Outside court, a group of allied anti-nuclear protesters gathered in a show of solidarity.
"Mr Foley's decision not to negotiate was pig-headed, given the way police behaved," spokeswoman Nectaria Calan said.
"We are concerned about the level of police oppression, it was ridiculous... they had a right to protest."