By Sophie Wilson
SYDNEY — In the aftermath of an alleged "riot" at Tempe last month, the state Police Association is calling for the introduction of special "mob squads". Gary Dunne from the association's executive board argued that the police should have a water cannon available as a "stand-by measure" and that the police should "take a serious look at whether they should continue to issue permits for such large gatherings".
Dunne called for the creation of stand-by response groups for each district which would carry out normal duties but be trained and ready to deal with crowds.
A spokesperson for the Police Association told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly that the disbanding of the Tactical Response Group had left NSW police without the capacity to deal with large demonstrations and crowds. He claimed that a "patrol support element" was crucial and that NSW was the only state that didn't have one. A special mob squad would help police to control "breakers of the peace".
But the heavy-handed police response at Tempe can hardly be called keeping the peace. Is it keeping the peace when more than 100 police, dog squads and a mounted police squad are called in to break up an argument between two young people? Is it keeping the peace when a family carnival is transformed into a riot which leaves 10 people charged and hundreds more injured and angry because of police involvement?
Zanny Begg from CEFTAA (Campaign Exposing Frame-ups and Targeting Abuses of Authority) argues that the creation of police mob squads is a sinister move far removed from keeping the peace. "The situation at Tempe was caused precisely by police involvement and not, as Dunne argues, by the police not having enough patrol support. It was because the police overreacted and elbowed their way into a minor brawl that events escalated in the way that they did.
"The creation of special mob squads would do nothing to avert the situation that evolved in Tempe. The only thing it would do is jeopardise the democratic right of people to gather in large numbers and express sentiments that differ from the status quo that the police protect."
CEFTAA is concerned that the police will try to use the events at Tempe to increase their powers. "Calling for a water cannon to be on stand-by is really worrying. Next they will be asking for rubber bullets!", Begg exclaimed.
She also expressed concern that Dunne had queried providing permits for large gatherings. "Removing permits for demonstrations and gatherings affects everybody. This could be used against the environmental movement, gay and lesbian demonstrations, trade union rallies and so forth. If the police tighten up the issue of permits, it makes it harder to organise a protest and much easier for the police to repress it."
CEFTAA was instrumental in the establishment of the Activist Defence Network, which produced the popular Activist Rights Handbook.