Alison Dellit & Alison Thorne
One hundred people rallied in Redfern, Sydney, on August 17, one year since the NSW Coroner dismissed the death of 17-year old TJ Hickey as a "freak accident", exonerating the police who pursued Hickey shortly before he was impaled on a fence.
"All we want is justice for our boy", TJ's mother Gail Hickey told the crowd. "Why won't the police tell the truth about what happened that night? Even if it was an accident, why won't they tell the truth?" Many criticised the decision to exempt Constable Michael Hollingsworth, who drove the car that followed Hickey, from giving evidence at the inquest.
Ray Jackson, Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA) president, condemned the racist policing of the block, and called for the inquiry to be reopened.
Despite a police request to stick to the footpath, the protesters took to the road for the march from the Redfern Block to the State Coroner's Court. Led by a dozen children, including Hickey's siblings, the protesters were supportively honked by many cars.
In Victoria, more than 500 people have signed an open letter to NSW premier Morris Iemma demanding that the inquiry be re-opened. The letter, written by the ISJA (Melbourne Supporters Group), lists many of the issues not properly explored in the original inquiry, including the fact that Redfern Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers were denied the right to appear.
Melbourne ISJA activists held a speak-out in the Bourke Street Mall on May 17 to collect more signatures. "We were heartened by the solidarity for Gail and her family", said ISJA campaigner Craig Hall. To contact the ISJA Melbourne Supporters Group phone (03) 9388 0062.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, August 24, 2005.
Visit the