The altercation between police and protesters that left Hannah Thomas in hospital with a serious eye injury has reanimated a perennial issue in New South Wales – the right to protest.
The former Greens candidate, who ran against Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at the federal election, was charged alongside four others after attending a protest in Sydney outside a business allegedly involved in supplying services for parts used in Israeli jets (which the company denies). She has blamed the NSW government’s “draconian anti-protest laws” for her injury, claiming they have “emboldened” the police in interactions with protesters. NSW police said after a preliminary review of body-worn video of her arrest that there was no information to indicate misconduct.
